Strangers in a Strange Land
by Pat Olsen
Summary: (A Ranma 1/2 - Sabre Marrionette J crossover) Ranma and company wake up 500 years in the future, on a world that is not their own. A world where women do not exist, only female androids called Marionettes. Poor world.
1. Prologue

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru, Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi 

Warning, for those who have not seen every episode of the SMJ series already, there is a lot of spoilers here. In fact, this being a prologue, it is almost entirely spoilers, so, if you either, are extremely familiar with the SMJ series and don't want to rehash old ground, or you want to be surprised when you watch SMJ's final episodes, don't read further. Starting with Chapter 1 should work fine for most readers. I am putting a bit of my own spin on the series, so if you do read this, it will most likely make the chapters afterwards make more sense. Ja Mata. 

Strangers in a Strange Land. Prologue.

This is a story of an all male planet called Terra II. On the way to colonize the planet, the ship carrying the colonists exploded, and only 6 men escaped alive. Each man took a section of the planet and claimed it as their own. To continue the species, the six men cloned themselves, mixing genes to make each clone an individual with its own personality. However, the ruler of the six countries is a direct clone of the original, so they may rule forever. Regardless of this technology, they were unable to reproduce women, so they created androids instead. These androids are known as marionettes. They look and speak like women, but are basically just computers built to serve men. One of the six countries is Japoness, home to a youth named Otaru. 

All of Japoness knew of Otaru, the hero of the war against Garlant, and the owner of the three marionettes that had rescued the only living human female from the colony ship in orbit. Few knew the truth behind the war, or understand Otaru Mamiya's true strength. The war against Garlant had started as a form of competition for a prize, the only living human female, Lorelei. Both the leader of Garlant, Faust, and the leader of Japoness, Ieyasu, had been striving to perfect the technology to rescue her for the last three hundred years. They were two of the direct clones of the six original survivors from the colony ship, each successive clone raised to lead their own city. 

The secret behind the deaths of most of those on board the colony ship, and Lorelei's survival, was the fact that it had not been an accident. Lorelei had designed the colony ship's main computer, giving it the most sophisticated programs and hardware to date, including a fair imitation of human emotion. The ship's master computer, however, had turned out to be flawed. It had fallen in love with its creator, Lorelei. Realizing that she would leave it at the end of their journey, the computer had acted, destroying much of the ship by causing a climactic accident that would leave only Lorelei alive, alone with it. Miraculously, six men had escaped into a lifeboat and managed to get to the surface of the planet. The lifeboat was too badly damaged to return to the colony ship, and after communicating back up to Lorelei, they realized the truth. The ship itself wouldn't let them back on board. The computer had taken over complete control of the ship's extremely advanced defensive systems. Even if they could get back into space, they would never survive an attempt to rescue Lorelei. There was, however, one faint hope. Lorelei had realized that her computer's design was flawed, and had begun working on a way to fix it. Using elements of her own personality, she planned to create a second computer intelligence to nurture and control the first. The project was only in its initial stages when the accident occurred. The only way to rescue Lorelei was to complete this project. The six men were in despair, realizing that such a project, given the resources they had at hand, would take generations. Without even a single female, however, they were doomed to be the last humans on that planet. Ieyasu was the one to come up with the idea of cloning themselves to populate the world. Galvanized by this idea, Faust swore that he would eventually rescue Lorelei, even if it took him a dozen generations. 

While five of the six survivors were content to simply clone themselves, Faust, took the procedure one step further. He recorded his own memories, then force fed them into his own clone, imbuing it with his own ambitions and dreams. This process was repeated over and over throughout the generations, until finally, hundreds of years of memories had driven Faust nearly insane. 

When the technology that could be used to rescue Lorelei was finally perfected, Faust went to war with his rival for Lorelei's affections, Ieyasu. Like Faust, Ieyasu had been striving to come up with the technology to rescue Lorelei. Unlike Faust, Ieyasu had let his clones live their own lives. Instead he had each clone educated to be a proper ruler in a more normal way. Ieyasu, like Faust, had been in love with Lorelei, but was not quite as obsessive. When Faust began his attack, however, Emperor Ieyasu the twelfth had been forced to defend his city. 

The maiden circuits, the devices that had been deigned to be attached to the colony ship's main computer to nurture and control it, were circuits that approximated the emotions of a human female, Lorelei. They had been designed as a trio, each circuit of the three holding a piece of Lorelei's mind. Together, theoretically, the whole would be greater than the sum of its parts. The theory was that the computer would accept the improved replacement in exchange for Lorelei. The maiden circuit technology alone, however, was not enough. For the colony ship's main computer to accept them, they had to grow, to become human in every way that counted. The maiden circuits were placed into state of the art marionettes, so that they could grow and learn in the real world. Faust's three marionettes, Tiger, Panther, and Lynx had been activated first. Faust, in his ego and insanity, had treated them like expendable servants, just as marionettes had been treated since their creation. He was not able to give them the care or compassion they needed to grow, or to admit that he was incapable of doing so. Ieyasu, on the other hand, left his three marionettes dormant, waiting for someone to come along that could fully bring out their humanity. 

Otaru had been an unwitting pawn in Faust and Ieyasu's game. He had been exploring the Japoness Pioneer and History Museum when the first of Ieyasu's three marionettes had activated, claiming Otaru as her master. A second and then a third marionette had been activated by Otaru's presence, becoming bonded to Otaru as their master. Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry, the three marionettes with maiden circuits that Ieyasu had created were intensely loyal to Otaru, willing to do anything he wished. Unlike Faust, however, Otaru treated his three marionettes as people. Unlike, in fact, almost anyone on that world, Otaru tended to treat humans and marionettes the same, treating each according to their individual merits and flaws. He did not generalize by kind or type, an almost unique quality. Otaru had undergone a great deal of ridicule and scorn for his treatment of marionettes as normal people, until his growing popularity and an inexplicable favoritism from the emperor of Japoness had made Otaru's "eccentricities" acceptable. Otaru took the three marionettes under his wing out of compassion. Like children, the trio was often a great deal more trouble than help. Otaru taught them, unknowingly, by his example, how to be human. 

All had not gone smoothly, by any means. While Ieyasu patiently waited for Otaru to bring his three marionettes to their full potential, Faust had begun an effort to conquer the entire planet. Faust believed that only he was worthy of rescuing Lorelei, and that the whole planet should be focused behind him in his efforts. The ruler of the city of Garlant, Faust, had a vast army with which to conquer his neighbors. In addition, he used Tiger, Panther and Lynx as his personal assassins and saboteurs. Faust's three 'Saber' marionettes were the top of line models, and their maiden circuits had given them the extra edge of emotion and free thought. 

Otaru had found himself and his three marionettes the only thing standing between Japoness and Faust's attacks. Ieyasu's three marionettes, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry were the only three able to match Faust's Sabers in power and ability. Otaru was forced to call upon them to save Japoness again and again, risking his own life to help them as much as they risked themselves to help him. Over and over, Otaru's marionettes came into conflict with Tiger, Panther and Lynx to protect the city, or more often, the life of the emperor of Japoness, Ieyasu. 

In the process of the war, Ieyasu and his primary advisor had eventually been killed, despite Otaru and his marionettes' best efforts. No new clone of Ieyasu had been prepared, as the emperor had been in his early forties at his death. The emperor, had, however, prepared for such an emergency. He had his and his chancellor's memories recorded, and at his death, had those memories transferred into the bodies of the palace's finest marionettes, the original Tamasaburo and Baiko. The battles between Otaru's marionettes and Faust's three had been evenly matched at first. Neither group had an advantage and the battles were always inconclusive, with Faust's marionettes running off as reinforcements arrived, or vice-versa. as Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry reached their full potential, however, the tide shifted in their favor. Finally, after many inconclusive battles, Tiger was damaged beyond normal repair.

With the loss of one of his three maiden circuits, Faust was unable to rescue Lorelei, and he knew it. Instead, he focused on capturing Ieyasu's three maiden circuits and using them instead. During all this conflict, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry reached their full potential. It had become nearly impossible to distinguish between them and a human female. Unfortunately, the colony ship's master computer detected the activation of Ieyasu's creations' full potential. Understanding somehow that an attempt would be made to rescue Lorelei now that there was a possible replacement for her, the computer began to attack the planet's surface with its on board weaponry.

With giant lasers striking from orbit, his country in a rebellion, his military in chaos, and his remaining two marionettes finally daring to disobey his commands in order to save his life, Faust underwent a profound change. To save their world, Faust agreed to pool Garlant's resources with Japoness to construct a spaceship capable of reaching the colony ship intact. The plan was to get to the ship and exchange Ieyasu's three marionettes' maiden circuits for Lorelei. Once the trade was made, the computer would have no more reason to attack the planet. 

Up to this point, Otaru had been unaware of the true purpose the maiden circuits had been created for. When he learned that Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry would have to sacrifice themselves in order to save Lorelei, and the planet, he ordered them to stay behind. Instead he planned to go in their place, and attack the colony ship in an almost impossible effort to destroy it. Like Faust before him, Otaru's marionettes disobeyed him for the first time, to save his life. They snuck on board the ship and sent Otaru safely back to the planet in an escape pod while they went on to finish the mission.

Ieyasu and his chancellor had gone along on the mission, their memories contained in the bodies of their best marionettes. Only they had all the knowledge necessary to complete the mission. One of Faust's remaining marionettes, Lynx, went along as well, as backup. In their attempt to rescue Lorelei, the Emperor, Ieyasu, and his chancellor were killed. Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry sacrificed their maiden circuits to the main computer, and Lorelei was freed. Lynx was left alone to bring Lorelei back to the planet. The colony ship accepted the substitute, and stopped attacking the planet. 

Finally free, Lorelei had a statue built in honor of the three marionettes that had sacrificed themselves to save her, and their world. That gesture, however, had done little to assuage her guilt, or Otaru's sense of loss. 

After their death, the marionettes Tamasaburo and Baiko were recreated, but without the memories of the two men that they had once held. The city of Japoness was currently without a leader. The city council, and in some cases, Lorelei herself, was taking charge until Ieyasu the thirteenth was born and raised. 

Much to everone's surprise, the three marionettes returned a few months later, since the ship had lost it's will and capacity to fight. They rejoined Otaru in his home and attempted to have something aproaching a normal life. 

Faust had been greatly changed by the experiences of the war. He had left Garlant and started wandering the countryside, trying to find what humanity remained underneath the imposed memories from his predecessors. He had ended up sending his three marionettes to Otaru, realizing his own inability to care for them properly. Lynx and Panther he sent with instructions to stay with Otaru and learn the 'ways of humanity'. Faust sent Tiger with them with a request that Lorelei try to repair her broken maiden circuit. Now Otaru had his hands full with five emotional marionettes, and Lorelei kept herself busy working on Faust's marionette, Tiger. 

With peace settling over Terra II, the ambitions and dreams of two men are about to put that peace in jeopardy. The whole concept of their world is about to change. 

********************************************* 


	2. 1

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru, Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi 

**

Strangers in a Strange Land. Chapter 1.

**

Harsh light seeped painfully through Ranma's eyelids. <'Ranma, is that my name?'> Slowly she turned her head away from the light, and equally slowly opened her eyes. <'What's wrong with my head? Of course I'm Ranma, Ranma Saotome.'> Opening her eyes, Ranma winced. <'I feel so fuzzy. Akane must have hit me harder than usual this time.'> With that thought, Ranma sat up abruptly. <'Akane!'> A vivid image came to her, of a girl with short black/blue hair, a tomboy, but so cute when she smiled.. Ranma blinked, trying to see in the harsh light, and denying her feelings to herself. <'Akane, cute? That'll be the day.'> She took in her surroundings slowly as her eyes adjusted to the light. Her body felt stiff and cold, as did the strangely shaped table she lay on. One thing was obvious immediately. <'I'm a girl. Oh well, no real surprise... What in the world am I wearing?'> 

Ranma noted, blearily, the black one-piece suit she wore. It was cut like a swimsuit, leaving her arms and legs bare, although it had a high neckline. The material seemed strong and opaque enough to suit her definition of modesty, so she took in the rest of the room. The light was starting to die and her eyes could now make out indistinct figures looking down at her. The room was gray, and filled with harsh shadows. The people around her were hard to make out at first, but Ranma stared at them until everything came into focus. The two men standing to her left seemed familiar. Their clothing reminded Ranma of the Japanese feudal period, however. That and the expressions of intelligent curiosity on their faces seemed strange to her. Ranma's eyes widened as she finally placed the faces. "Kuno! Principal Kuno? What's going on here?" The two men, one young, one middle aged, turned to each other in surprise. 

"She recognizes us. She must think we are our own ancestors, from the Kuno line, in her time." the older one explained to his younger companion. 

The younger man nodded his eyes widening. "Then the memory transfer was a success!" 

Ranma blinked in confusion, looking from one man to the other. "What are you two going on about? My time? What's going on? Where am I?" She looked down at the table she had been lying on, and noted with growing confusion that it seemed to be molded to fit her. Ranma scanned the room around her once more. It was full of mechanical gadgets and electronic gizmos of indecipherable use and origin. "What in the world is going on?"

The older man stepped forward to explain. "This is not your time. It has been over five hundred years since you remember it. Five hundred years ago, Tatewaki Kuno, of the house of Kuno, had made brain tapes of you, to preserve your memories intact. The technology had just been developed, and you were one of the first for it to be tried on." 

Ranma interrupted. "What? Are you telling me this is the future? You aren't Principal Kuno? How... what happened?" 

The older man shook his head. "I am not the man you knew. We are distant ancestors of that line. I am Godai, this is Yusaku. We are very close, genetically, to the Kunos you knew, thanks to our modern cloning technology.." 

Ranma interrupted again. "You said something about... tapes? Brain tapes? I remember Kuno... Tatewaki, spouting something about some crazy scientist's plan to. what did he say? Oh yeah, to preserve memories? You mean it worked? No way!" 

Godai nodded. "Exactly. Professor Iago was far ahead of his time, hundreds of years, perhaps, beyond his peers. The technology to transfer memories, successfully, that is, to a marionette, has just recently been perfected. The storage of your memories was unprecedented at that time, but it wasn't until now that we could do anything constructive with that stored information." He began to chortle happily to himself. "Think of the possibilities!" 

Ranma blinked, not really understanding. "Um. OK, so it worked, right?" She looked around at all the scientific equipment. "So you guys... brought me back to life?" Ranma looked disturbed at that thought. 

Godai and Yusaku failed to notice, grinning and nodding at each other. "We've done it, father! She seems to be fully cognizant of her past." Yusaku glanced over at her. "The experiment has been a complete success!" 

Godai nodded, smiling cheerfully. "Indeed, despite the antiquity of the original memory storage device. My techniques of data retrieval seem to be a complete success." The older man turned back to Ranma, who was still looking confused. "What is your name? The archives do not seem to record that single detail." 

The girl blinked. "I'm Ranma, Ranma Saotome." 

Godai narrowed his eyes in confusion. "I don't understand. I have recently read the journal of my ancestor, Tatewaki Kuno, of that time. The name Ranma, is mentioned, but it belonged to a man, a rival, in fact, of Tatewaki's, at that time. 

Ranma chuckled nervously. "Heh... well.... I guess five hundred years is a long time.." 

Godai frowned, then nodded. "All right, Ranma. Yusaku will show you to the changing room, and you can find something to wear. We'll talk later today." 

Ranma hopped off the table, landing slightly awkwardly. "Whoa." She teetered for a second, then found her balance. It was slightly off, and her limbs felt a bit stiff. Ranma adjusted quickly, well used to dealing with changes in her body. 

Yusaku waited for her to get her balance, and then turned to lead her out of the crowded room. Ranma followed the young man out of the room, wondering to herself at how much he resembled her old rival, Tatewaki Kuno. He was tall and slender like his ancestor, with short dark hair and the roguish good looks that were one reason the old Kuno had been as arrogant as he had been. 

<'I have to hand it to old Kuno, though.'> Ranma mused silently as she continued following his ancestor. <'He came through on one of his crazy promises for once. If only he hadn't been such an idiot, we might have gotten along.'> Ranma shook her head with a quiet snort. <'Me and Kuno? I must be dreaming if I'd ever believe we could have been friends.'> Ranma noted that they had passed up a long flight of stairs and through a door at its top. Suddenly Ranma found herself in completely different surroundings. The walls below had been of sturdy gray concrete, surrounding a myriad of technological wonders. Up here, the walls were rice paper and wood. The house seemed the very picture of a traditional Japanese mansion. 

Yusaku took her down to the end of the hall, and showed her a door. "Go inside and change. We'll be expecting you for dinner." He started walking off, and Ranma went to the door and opened it. Inside, a pale skinned woman with long hair knelt, dressed in an elegant blue kimono. She faced the door as if she had been waiting for someone to enter. Her face, like that of Godai, and Yusaku, was startlingly familiar. The room itself was plain, lined on either side with wall closets, and having only a screen and a three-sided mirror for furniture. 

"Kasumi?" Ranma asked softly. "Is that you? Is it possible you're here too?" 

The woman looked up at Ranma slowly, her face devoid of expression. "Yes." She replied with equal softness. "That is my name. How may I serve you?" 

Ranma looked worriedly down at her. "Kasumi? It's me, Ranma. Don't you recognize me?" 

Kasumi blinked slowly, looking at Ranma's face. "I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I do not remember seeing you before." Ranma became concerned. The Kasumi she knew had never been one for excesses of emotion, but she had almost always had a pleasant smile. This Kasumi seemed completely emotionless, her face a mask. The pale Kasumi looked inquiringly at Ranma once more. "Is there anything you require?" 

Ranma paused, slightly worried, but unable to come up with any plan. "Actually, I do kinda need some clothes. Kuno... I mean Yusaku, told me I could get a change of clothing here." 

Kasumi nodded and got smoothly to her feet. "I will assist you." Her eyes flashed with a barely visible inner light. "Please lift your arms, and turn around." Ranma blinked, and did so. After completing a turn, Kasumi nodded. "Thank you. I have your size." She turned to the left, and went to open a long wall closet. 

Ranma watched as Kasumi went through the clothing in the closet, several details bothering her. <'Kasumi is still a head taller than I am. Even if I have to be a girl, why couldn't I be a taller one?'> That wasn't what was really disturbing, however, something was definitely off about her. This Kasumi acted strange. Out of a large selection, Kasumi took out a red and black Kimono, bringing it over to Ranma. The shorter girl frowned, but decided not to protest. With help from Kasumi, Ranma put on the Kimono. After dressing, she checked her appearance in the mirror. 

Once again, a familiar face peered out at Ranma, this time from the mirror. <'Well, at least I'm the same.'> Ranma frowned unhappily. <'Not that that's a good thing.'> The short, busty, athletic, red head looking back at Ranma was the person that she had expected to see there. Ranma was still disappointed at the view. <'Why do I still have to have this curse after five hundred years? Can't I ever escape it?'> Ranma turned back to Kasumi, who was standing silently waiting. She looked like the Kasumi Ranma knew, but her expression, or rather, lack of any, seemed very peculiar. Even her movements were strange, slightly stiff. 

Ranma shook her head. "What in the world has happened to you, Kasumi?" When Ranma had first met Kasumi, she had been nineteen years old and taking care of her family in the place of her dead mother. Kasumi, even at nineteen, had been a perfect example of a modest Japanese housewife. Ranma remembered an essay he had read in school that seemed to fit her perfectly. It was called "The Angel in the House." The piece had actually been about killing the 'Angel' in themselves in order to be able to write, but Ranma always remembered the Angel. Kasumi was always pleasant, happy with her role in taking care of her father and younger sisters. This Kasumi however, was like a moving doll. 

Ranma sighed. "I don't understand it. I guess five hundred years is a long time. But if I can remember everything, why can't you, Kasumi?" The shogi door behind Ranma opened suddenly, and Ranma turned to see yet another familiar face. 

The girl standing in the doorway spoke. "That's because she isn't Kasumi." Ranma blinked. "Nabiki?" The dark hair in the pageboy cut framed a face Ranma knew very well indeed. 

The girl Ranma remembered as the older of Kasumi's two younger sisters nodded. "As quick a study as ever eh, Saotome? It is me." Nabiki nodded at the pale skinned woman that had her older sister's face. "That, however, isn't Kasumi. At least, she isn't our Kasumi." The pale Kasumi didn't react at all, but simply stood there waiting. 

Ranma approached Nabiki, who was dressed in a kimono similar to hers, but green and white colored. "Nabiki, do you know what's going on? Kuno... well, he says his name is Yusaku, and this guy that looks like the principal.... They say it's been five hundred years.... I don't understand. What's going on?" Nabiki frowned. "I'll explain, Saotome. Follow me. First I think there's someone you'll want to see." 

As Nabiki led Ranma quickly down the hall, the red head spoke up. "Nabiki, what are you doing here? If what I was told was true, Kuno had... tapes made, of my memories. I kind of remember him saying something like that... back then, but.." 

Nabiki snorted to herself. "You want to know why Kuno-chan had a brain tape made of me? He was never one for half measures, you know. I can at least say that much of him. Kuno, naturally, wanted permanent copies of all his 'girlfriends'." She snorted. "I'm surprised Azuza Shiratori and that cheerleader Mariko aren't here too." 

Ranma blinked. "Oh yeah, you did go out with Kuno a couple times, eh?" 

Nabiki shrugged. "He was a lousy date. I really wish I had never agreed to go out with him." She frowned. "Regardless of getting a second chance at life. Not that I'd call this that." As Ranma tried to puzzle that last statement out, Nabiki stopped at a door. "This is it. We don't have a whole lot of time before dinner, and I've got a lot to explain to you." She slid open the door. "Here you go, Ranma." 

Ranma turned to enter room. It was an ordinary sitting room, with a few paintings and flower vases for color. She started to enter it as a voice rang out from inside. "Ranma!?!" Once again, a familiar face confronted Ranma. A girl with short, blue/black hair, and large eyes, a smile that Ranma couldn't mistake for anyone else's on her face. The girl came running toward the red head, her eyes wide in astonishment. "It is! Ranma! Ranma is it really you?" She halted a couple feet away, staring at Ranma in amazed joy. 

Ranma blinked. "Akane? Akane! You're here too?" 

The youngest of Soun Tendo's three daughters, Nabiki and Kasumi's little sister, Akane, smiled wryly at her. "Yes Ranma. I'm here too." 

Nabiki sniffed disdainfully. "You thought perhaps Kuno would go without one of his two 'goddesses'?" 

Ranma rolled her eyes and turned back to Nabiki. "I should have guessed. Kuno couldn't make up his mind between me and Akane back then, why chose just one of us now? So, is anyone else here? What's with Kasumi, anyway? She's like a robot or somethin." 

Akane frowned. "Nabiki, you haven't told him yet?" 

Nabiki glanced at Akane at her use of "him" then shrugged. "I just found Ranma-"chan" a minute ago. I was about to explain." 

Ranma narrowed her eyes. "OK, how much, Nabiki?" 

Nabiki shook her head. "I'm well aware you don't have any money, Ranma. You can owe me." 

Akane spoke up softly. "Ranma... Kasumi seems like a robot. Because she is a... robot." 

Ranma's eyes went wide. "Whoa. I couldn't tell. I guess in five hundred years there's been a whole lot of new stuff." The red head turned to Nabiki. "So, Kuno made a robot copy of Kasumi? Wild." She frowned. "I don't like it. She may just be a robot, but it's not right her being the Kuno's servant." 

Akane sighed. "You don't know the half of it, Ranma. Don't you understand? We are robots too. That's how they brought us back. Yusaku and Godai put our memories into these bodies. They built us." 

Ranma's eyes got progressively wider as Akane spoke. Her disbelief grew even as Akane's face became sad. 

Nabiki spoke up to support her younger sister. "It's true, Saotome, all of it. We're all robots. They call us marionettes here." 

Ranma shook her head. "No way. No way! I can't be a... marionette. I'm alive!" Ranma looked at her hands, rolling them over and examining her fingers carefully. She felt her wrists, prodded her face. "I'm me, nothing's changed.." 

Nabiki approached the distraught girl, shaking her head. "I know it feels right. It was hard for me to believe too, but it's true. You're a marionette, like Akane and me." She sighed, and started undoing the front of her kimono. "I'll show you." 

Akane started to protest. "Nabiki!" 

The older girl rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to show Ranma anything new, and "she" needs to see this." Nabiki pulled the kimono off her right shoulder, holding it up at the same time to keep her breasts covered. She showed Ranma her shoulder. "Here Ranma, look." 

Ranma had covered her eyes with her hands when Nabiki had started to disrobe. "Uh uh. I'm not falling for that." 

Akane sighed. "Go ahead, Ranma. It's only her shoulder." 

Ranma peeked slowly out of her fingers, then lowered her hands. "What?" She stepped forward, peering at Nabiki's shoulder closely. "Is that... a seam?" 

Nabiki nodded, staring herself at the line going around her arm a few inches beneath the shoulder. "I'm told it's a vent, for when we overheat. There is one on my other arm as well. That's about all that's obvious. We don't need recharging. We've got some kind of primitive matter conversion unit for power. We eat, like anyone. It doesn't really matter what we eat, although we can taste, and sense normally. It's really incredibly sophisticated. " Nabiki started to pull her kimono back together. "Go ahead, Ranma, see for yourself. Check your own arm." 

Ranma gulped, but did so, slowly opening her own kimono and looking intently at her upper arm. She felt the seam carefully but thoroughly, hen slowly pulled her kimono back up. Her face was ashen. "It's... it's true. I'm... I'm a robot... a marionette.." 

Akane went to the stunned girl and tentatively put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "We all are, Ranma. At least. at least we're all here together." 

Ranma looked up as Akane self-consciously withdrew her hand. "Yeah. sure." 

Akane tried to smile. "Come on, its not all that bad. Like you aid, we feel normal. I can hardly find any differences, at least, not any really important ones.." She sighed. "We're alive, and together. That's something, right? 

Ranma realized that Akane was trying to cheer her up, and nodded, forcing herself to smile slightly. "Yeah. Yeah, Akane, that's something." Ranma frowned suddenly, then her face lightened. "Hey, do you know where I can get some hot water? Maybe this Kasumi has some clothes for my male side." 

Nabiki slapped her forehead in dismay. "Ranma, you're a marionette. You don't have a curse anymore." 

Ranma blinked. "What do you mean? I'm still a girl." Suddenly it hit her. "A girl marionette." She paled. "Oh no! You're right! This isn't my old body.. I'm stuck like this! Stuck, as a girl, forever?" Ranma sunk to her knees, her eyes going blank. Akane stood by uncertainly, not certain what to say. Nabiki frowned, but was also silent.   


(Ranma Fans, skip to next gap) 

  


Akane thought back to when she had first met Ranma, now over five hundred years in the past. For her, it was only two years ago. Her father had arranged for her to marry the son of an old friend, Ranma Saotome. When Ranma had shown up at their door, female, Akane had been relieved that she wouldn't have to go through with the marriage. Ranma, however, turned out to be male after all. He had been cursed to turn into a girl whenever he was splashed with cold water. It had been raining the day he and his father had shown up, which is why Ranma had shown up female, but as Akane had learned, hot water would change Ranma back to normal. 

Both Ranma and his father, Genma Saotome, had gotten themselves cursed at a legendary training ground in China called Jusenkyo. It was a valley full of springs. If you fell in a spring in Jusenkyo, you would be cursed to take the body of whatever, or whoever had drowned in that spring. Ranma had fallen into a spring where a girl had drowned, one thousand, five hundred years before, and had been cursed to change into that girl whenever he came into contact with cold water. 

With that matter understood, both Ranma and Akane's fathers had insisted that the Tendo and Saotome houses be joined. Genma and Soun had trained together under the same martial arts master, and had formed a lifelong friendship years before. Later, Soun had founded his own martial arts Dojo, while Genma spent the same time training Ranma to become one of the best martial artists in the world, so he could run the Dojo when he grew up. The two houses were to be joined to strengthen their school of martial arts and to ensure their legacy continued. 

During the next two years, Ranma had looked for a cure to his curse while living at the Tendo home. He and Akane had fought the engagement not wanting to be forced into marriage, although with little success. With both their families honor on the line, they found it difficult to completely dismiss their parent's wishes. In the last months Akane could remember, she and Ranma had finally been starting to accept each other. 

  


(Ok Ranma fans return, story time.) 

  


<'Two years, we were only kids when we met, just sixteen years old. I still can't believe I was engaged to a guy that turned into a girl half the time!'> Akane sighed. <'But I was finally starting to accept it. Ranma, his curse, I was coming to terms with it. I. I love him. Ranma's curse. it didn't really matter all that much to me, but..'> Akane closed her eyes. <'But now Ranma's a girl permanently, and I never told him how I really felt. Our families are long gone, and the engagement was five hundred years ago. What am I supposed to do now?'> 

Akane came back to herself, looking down at her distraught fiancé. <'We didn't start off too well, Ranma and I. I never thought I could actually fall in love with someone like him. But now. is there anything left for us? Five hundred years in the future, does anything that we went through back then still matter? We're both... marionettes. Does our engagement even exist now?'> Minutes passed as Ranma sat dejectedly, and Akane tried to think of some way to comfort the redhead. Finally, a knock came at the door, and it slid open. 

The pale Kasumi marionette looked into the room. "The masters call you to dinner. Will you come please?" She waited patiently by the door for an answer, her face blank. 

Nabiki turned to her. "We'll come in just a minute, OK?" Kasumi nodded and left quietly. 

Akane put her hand gently on Ranma's shoulder. "Ranma.." 

The petite red head nodded once. "Yeah, I heard, dinner." Ranma got to her feet heavily. "I. I'm OK. It's not like I haven't gone through this sort of thing before.. It's just this time. it's permanent." She shrugged. "I'll be alright. Come on. I suppose we should go to dinner." 

Akane sighed. "Oh Ranma.." 

Ranma shook her head. "At least I've had time to get used to being changed." She shrugged again, and headed for the door. "It's not like I'm even really a girl. We're all marionettes, right? It's not like I have to worry about guys hitting on me or nothin." 

Akane blinked, looking relieved. "You know, I hadn't thought of that. I was worried that I'd have to fight off the Kunos, but why would they want us when there have to be plenty of real girls out there?" 

Nabiki followed Akane and Ranma toward the dining room, and frowned. "I feel real enough. I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I hope our "Creators" don't decide they prefer us to the real thing." Akane and Ranma both shivered in real fear. They entered the dining room, which, rather than continue the house's traditional Japanese motif, was done in European style, with a long table and fancy wooden chairs, surrounding china and pewter place settings and fixtures. 

Dinner was an awkward affair. The Kasumi marionette, (who Godai explained had been created from pictures and descriptions of the original Kasumi) served, then left, leaving the Kunos alone with Ranma, Akane and Nabiki. Godai and Yusaku spent most of the time staring at the three girls, then whispering to each other earnestly. 

Nabiki, tired of trying to make out their words, finally spoke. "Godai-san, you told me earlier that all marionettes are female? Why is that? Why aren't there any male robots? I'd think that some men would want their memories preserved forever like ours were." 

Godai looked a bit surprised at the question. "Male marionettes? No, that's never been done. although the emperor and his chancellor did, upon their death, have their memories transferred into their best marionettes. That, in fact, is what gave me the idea to have you three built." He grinned. "Quite the success, don't you think?" 

Nabiki nodded politely. "I won't deny that. I can hardly tell I'm any different than before."

Yusaku smiled at her widely. "You seem very real to me, Nabiki-chan." He laughed. "Male marionettes, what an idea! Why would anyone want to build one? There are more than enough men around already!" 

Nabiki frowned, an unpleasant suspicion coming to her. "What do you mean, "There are more than enough men"? What about women?" 

Yusaku blinked. "You mean you don't know?" 

Godai laughed. "Of course not. Naturally they would only remember their previous lives. The usual programming wasn't done with them." He looked at Nabiki. "There are no women here on this world." He shrugged. "Well, actually, there is one, Lorelei. One woman on a world filled with men. Until a few months ago, there wasn't even one." 

Akane, Nabiki and Ranma all looked shocked. Nabiki spoke first. "How did this happen? What happened to all the women?" 

Godai started to explain. "We are the survivors of a colony ship from Earth. There was an accident, and only six men managed to reach this planet alive, on a shuttle. For the last three hundred years, we've populated this planet with clones of the original six survivors. We were able to mix and match the genetics somewhat, to produce a greater variety, until today there are six full cities of different individuals. All men, unfortunately. One of those six men was an ancestor of the Kuno line, and the two of us bear those genes. 

Akane spoke up swiftly. "You said there was one woman... IS one woman, now. Where did she come from?" 

Yusaku answered. "Apparently, Lorelei was the sole survivor on the colony ship itself. She managed to put herself into suspended animation, for these three hundred years, not aging. She was rescued by a group of marionettes, just last month, after the colony ship went crazy and started attacking the planet." 

Nabiki spoke up. "So this Lorelei is the only woman on the whole planet?" 

Godai nodded. "At least for awhile. Our cloning facilities are working on creating an entire generation of women. It will be years before any of those grow up, of course, and centuries more before the number of women equals men, so marionettes still have their place." 

Nabiki sat back heavily. "Oh." Akane's eyes went wide in full understanding moments later. Ranma glanced at the two Tendo sisters, then her eyes went wide as well. Nabiki looked at the two men steadily. "So, for what purpose, exactly, were we created?" 

Godai smiled politely. "Why naturally, you three are to be our concubines." 

Akane started turning red. "Concubines?!?" 

Ranma was shaking her head. "Uh uh. No way. I ain't being no one's concubine!" She looked at Akane and whispered, "What's a concubine?" 

Nabiki winced internally as all chance of subterfuge flew out the proverbial window. Godai and Yusaku were slowly going from surprised to annoyed. She tried to salvage the situation as best as she could. "Naturally, we're grateful for you bringing us back, creating these bodies for us.." 

Yusaku broke in. "At great expense!" He turned to the older man. "Father, I think there might be a flaw in their Maiden circuits." 

Godai frowned. "My technology was perfect! If there is any flaw, it was in the collected data." 

Nabiki cleared her throat. "Actually, I'm pretty sure your technology and your data were fine. As far as I can tell, we're all pretty much the way we were, five hundred years ago." The two men regarded her with interest. 

"Indeed?" Godai began. "I was not aware that human females were so intractable, normally." 

Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "And how many human females have you met?" Godai opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. 

Yusaku answered for him. "Our records, from the house of Kuno in your time, indicated that Akane Tendo and the 'pigtailed girl'," He nodded at Ranma. "were 'paragons of virtue'. Mild and polite, well mannered and disciplined, bursting with health and beauty." 

Nabiki couldn't help but chuckle. "My sister, and. Ranma?" She broke out into laughter again. "At least he got the healthy part right." 

Godai frowned, looking disappointed. "I had hoped our ancestor's reports were more accurate." He shook his head sadly. "I suppose I'll have to make some modifications." 

Akane spoke up worriedly, not noticing Nabiki's warning shake of her head. "What do you mean by... modifications?" 

Godai answered her, speaking out loud to himself. "Hmm, some behavior modification, command protocols.." Nabiki started to look visibly nervous as Godai rambled on to himself, while Akane started getting angry again. 

Ranma protested confusedly. "What are you talking about? Nothin is wrong with my behavior." 

Godai glanced up momentarily at Ranma, then looked down, pulling a pen from an inner pocket and started jotting down notes on a napkin. "Vocabulary booster." 

Yusaku was listening to the older man, and began to add suggestions. "Perhaps we could add a Doxie training program. These prototypes don't seem to have the proper attitude or skills." 

Akane's eyes went wide. "I beg your pardon?!?" Nabiki put her hand over her younger sister's mouth to prevent further outbursts. She shook her head warningly at Akane, then signaled Ranma to stay quiet. Somehow, Nabiki managed to keep her sister and Ranma from exploding in outrage at the dinner table. 

When Godai and Yusaku finally left, still discussing changes to their new prototypes, Nabiki stood up. "Alright. Now we have to talk." 

Akane nodded vigorously. "We sure do! They're planing on. reprogramming us, making us their perfect concubines!" 

"Exactly," Nabiki replied, nodding as well. "Which is why we need to think of a plan." 

Ranma sniffed disdainfully. "Why don't we just tell those idiots we ain't gonna let them do it, and beat em up if they try anything funny? Worked on Kuno." 

"We don't know enough yet." Nabiki said, glaring at Ranma. "Can you imagine what might go wrong with your brilliant plan?" 

Ranma blinked in confusion, and Akane spoke up. "They built us. What if they can just... turn us off?" Akane shuddered at her own words. 

Ranma's eyes went wide. "Can they do that?" 

"Who knows?" Nabiki shrugged. "The point is... we don't." Before we can make any sort of move, we've got to know more." 

Akane spoke up, appearing anxious. "But how do we find out more? What can we do?" 

Nabiki looked thoughtful. "We get information, any way we can. Ranma, if Yusaku is anything like the old Kuno, it shouldn't be too hard to pump him for information. Get him alone, and use your. feminine wiles on him. Find out what you can without tipping him off what we're doing. Find out about how he'd stop us from doing whatever we want. Play on his ego." 

There was a quiet groan from Ranma. "Oh man... do I gotta?" 

Nabiki glared at Ranma, then shrugged. "Well, if you can't handle it, Akane can deal with him.." 

Ranma blinked, then rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, as if the tomboy has got any 'feminine charms' at all to use. If we're lucky, she'll just cook for him, and he'll be so sick he won't want to do anything to us.." WHAM! 

Akane brought the table down on Ranma's head. "Are you saying I can't cook?!?" 

"Well duh.." Ranma winced then pushed the table off her head slowly. "Hey, if I'm a robot, how come that hurt?" 

Nabiki shrugged. "We are supposed to be realistic. I just wonder how tough these bodies are. No sense taking chances though. Since we're robots, we're not going to be able to just heal. That means no smashing Ranma with heavy objects, Akane. If any of us get damaged, who knows what it'll take to get fixed." Akane nodded, blushing in embarrassment. 

Ranma frowned in concern. "I didn't think of that. We'd better be careful." She shrugged. "I guess I'll go handle Yusaku. I've got the 'cute little girl' thing down to an art form." 

Akane rolled her eyes. "Sure, for scamming ice cream." 

Ranma shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, it works, don't it?" 

"Let's hope you've still got it, Saotome." Nabiki said. She looked seriously at the red headed girl. "Whatever you do, don't let them know what we're planning." 

Ranma nodded back. "No sweat." 

Nabiki turned to her sister. "Akane, you question the other marionettes. They may not be as... advanced as us, but they must know something. Find out whatever you can. Maybe they know if we have off switches, or remote controls, or whatnot. Try to learn about the outside, too. The area, proper behavior for marionettes, anything we can use." She paused. "I'll try to find a computer, or library, or something, and get the information we need that way." Nabiki jerked her thumb toward the door they had entered the dining room through. "We'll meet back at that room Akane was waiting for us in. Say, an hour from now?" Ranma and Akane nodded in confirmation, and Nabiki smiled slightly. "Alright, let's go, and be careful." 

Ranma grinned cockily and winked. "I'll dazzle him." The red head went out the door confidently. 

Akane paused before following. "You be careful too, OK sis?" 

Nabiki nodded once more, firmly. "Don't worry about me. It's Ranma that I'm worried about." Akane sighed, then turned and left as well. 

Nabiki heard Ranma's voice faintly in the corridor. "Hey, Akane, I forgot to ask, what's Doxi training anyway?" Nabiki tried not to smile as she imagined how Akane would answer that question, then turned to go as well. 

The middle Tendo sister began going from room to room, looking for a source, any source of information to start with. After several false starts, she finally stumbled upon what was unmistakably a small, but well stocked library room. Nabiki entered, closing the door behind her and crossing her fingers. "These books had better be written in Japanese.." 

************************** 

Meanwhile, Akane had found the Kasumi marionette in the dressing room. "Kasumi?" She began. "Can I ask you some questions?"

Kasumi, who had been kneeling in the center of the room, looked up at Akane obediently. "Yes Akane-san? What is it that you wish to know?" 

Akane slowly got to her own knees in front of this emotionless copy of her elder sister, and looked into her eyes. Kasumi gazed back patiently without changing expression. Akane sighed, shook her head, and looked at Kasumi again. "Kasumi-san, I am... new... at being a marionette. I don't really know anything about this body. Could you help me?" 

Kasumi shook her head slightly, her eyes still. "I do not understand, Akane-san." 

Akane tried again. "I have the memories of being a human, not a... marionette. I don't know anything about marionettes." 

Kasumi blinked, the most human mannerism she had yet shown, and quirked her head slightly. "You were programmed as a human?" 

There was a moment's hesitation. "Sort of." Akane answered finally, shrugging. "Can you tell me about being a marionette?" 

Kasumi paused, then nodded. "I... understand. What information do you require?" 

Akane hesitated again considering her first question, then spoke. "Well, for starters, could you tell me about our... bodies? How do we move... do we sleep? Do we have an off switch?"

Kasumi spoke clearly after a short pause. "I am not well versed in our motive systems. We do not require sleep. We do have an off switch, for when we require repairs." 

"Where is it?" Akane's eyes were focused intently on Kasumi. 

Kasumi pointed to her neck. "It is inside, not accessible without tools." 

Akane looked relieved, but went right to her next question. "Alright, do we have controls inside of us, that can be used at a distance?" 

In response to Akane's question, Kasumi blinked. "We have an internal radio receiver and transmitter, for receiving orders." 

Akane raised an eyebrow. "Do you have to obey those orders?" 

In a manner that seemed to be more of an imitation than the real thing, Kasumi appeared to be slightly puzzled. "I do not understand." 

Akane sighed and tried again. "Does the radio control your actions?" 

Kasumi blinked again then shook her head. "It is a radio. Some models have a remote control device for use in combat. I am a household model." 

Akane thought about that for awhile. "OK, which am I?" 

Kasumi looked at her expressionlessly. "I do not know, Akane-san." 

****************************** 

Ranma walked about looking for Yusaku Kuno. <'Is his family name till Kuno?'> She wondered idly to herself. <'Or does everyone just call him Yusaku? I wonder how many people there are on this planet.'> Ranma paused, blinking. "Hey, that's right, we're on another planet, aren't we? Why does this look so much like some place on Earth?" 

A slightly familiar voice spoke up, startling her slightly. "We have done everything we could to make this world into as familiar a home as possible." Yusaku walked out from a nearby doorway, his hands inside his kimono sleeves and his slippered feet making almost no noise on the wooden floor. 

Ranma flushed in embarrassment. <'How in the world did he sneak up on me? I've got to pay more attention.'> 

Yusaku continued speaking, taking Ranma's reddened face for shyness. "No need to feel uncomfortable, my dear. You will be very happy here, I'm sure. There are a few glitches in your maiden circuits, but don't worry, we'll have them fixed in no time." 

Ranma caught that phrase again and jumped on it. "Maiden circuits? What are those?" 

Yusaku answered easily, as if the question had just been on his mind. "Why, the maiden circuits are what allows you to feel emotions. They are very sophisticated, giving the marionettes that have them very strong feelings of loyalty and love for their masters.." 

He droned on, but Ranma stopped listening, instead fixing on one statement. <'They give us emotions? OK, I can buy that. I've felt plenty of things since I woke up here. One thing doesn't fit though, he says these maiden circuits make us feel love, and loyalty for our 'masters', but I don't feel anything like that. Why? Didn't he and Godai build us? No, wait, Godai said something about that one woman, Lorelei creating them. Maybe the Kuno's don't really know how these maiden circuits actually work.'> With a slight grin, Ranma focused on what Yusaku was saying. 

"... and with a few new programs, I'm sure you'll be performing up to your best potential as the perfect concubine. How does that sound?" 

Ranma blinked, not liking the sound of that at all. "Oh my," she said, in her best imitation of the Kasumi she had known, and skillfully hiding her distaste. "Do you really think that will be necessary? I'm sure my... skills, will please you." She smiled knowingly up at him, batting her eyelashes winningly. <'Heh.'> Ranma thought in triumph. <'He'll be putty in my hands. How can any guy resist? After all, I'm in the position to know exactly what guys like.'> 

Yusaku looked interested. "Oh? I'm glad to hear your training wasn't completely neglected. Why don't we go to my room, and you can demonstrate. Who knows, you might know something not included in the current doxi skills program." 

"Your room?" Ranma blinked again, trying not to let her shock show. <'Did he suggest what I think he just suggested? What kind of girl does he think I am?'> 

Yusaku nodded to her. "Of course, my room. Where else? I was intending to retire with one of the Cherry blossoms tonight. They're usually just programmed for combat, but I've added some things. They have much higher capacity than the average servant marionette, and their reflexes and sensors are top of the line. Much more entertaining." 

Ranma kept blinking through the young 'masters' speech. "You have?" She stammered uncertainly. "You mean, they can? And the servants? K-Kasumi? I mean. aren't they. robots?"

Yusaku looked surprised. "Certainly. What did you think the marionettes were built for? They were created to serve men. That is why, naturally, they were all made female." 

"Oh." Ranma looked embarrassed. "I should have realized." Inwardly she swore to herself. <'Oh great! Now what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to vamp some guy who gets. whatever girl he wants. however he wants her?'> 

Yusaku took her by the arm and started leading her down the corridor. "I'll instruct you in how to properly pleasure me best. Perhaps, if your skills are up to par, we won't have to reprogram you after all." 

Ranma resisted the urge to pull free and let herself be escorted. <'OK, think, damn it, think!'> She grimaced as nothing but images of what was most likely to follow flowed through her mind. Before she could shake off her mental paralysis, Yusaku had gotten her to the end of the hall and had taken her into his room. 

Ranma looked around at the palatial bedchamber with dismay. It had few details to pull the eye away from the central piece of the room, the large, curtained bed. There was a desk off in one corner with a straight-backed chair. A pair of paintings adorned two walls, an unfamiliar seascape, and an unremarkable mountainside lending some color to the room. Ranma kept coming back to the bed, however, in mounting horror, somehow certain that was where she was about to be. 

Yusaku cleared his throat to catch her attention. "Ehem. Let's get started, shall we? Remove your clothing." 

Ranma blinked, hesitating. <'My god, doesn't this guy doesn't have any patience at all? What kind of a girl does he.?'> Ranma's eyes cleared in sudden understanding. <'That's it. He doesn't think of me as a girl at all. Marionettes are built to serve men. There haven't been any real women on this planet for three hundred years, so he's treating me like a machine.'>

Yusaku started looking annoyed. "What are you waiting for? I gave you an order." 

Ranma looked at the young man and nodded, schooling her expression. <'He thinks I'm loyal to him, that I'll do anything he says, because he's never had a marionette do anything else. If I don't, he really will have me. reprogrammed.'> The petite red head started to disrobe, attempting to keep her feelings to herself. 

As Ranma undressed, Yusaku shut his bedroom door behind him and nodded approvingly. "Very nice, my dear. Let's hear no more of these silly questions. Now remove the rest of your clothing and wait for me on the bed." 

Ranma finished undoing her kimono and let it fall to her feet, swearing silently to herself. <'This is not going according to plan!'> She hesitated, grimacing, then started removing her bra. <'This is a waste of time! By now, the Kuno I knew would have done whatever I asked, but this guy just thinks I'm a. robot, some sort of toy for his amusement. He's not going to tell me anything this way.'> 

Only wearing panties now, Ranma got onto the bed and beckoned the young man toward her. "Come here, Yusaku-sama." Yusaku leered at her and started forward eagerly. Ranma rolled her eyes. <'Forget it, I know Nabiki said we shouldn't let on what we're planning, but there is no way I'm letting this creep touch me!'> 

As Yusaku reached the bed, his arms reaching out for the petite red head in front of him, Ranma punched him squarely in the jaw. She had intended to simply stun him, and was surprised when Yusaku flew back into the far wall with a crash. The mountainscape above him tilted to the left from the impact. 

Ranma shook her head in astonishment. "How strong exactly am I? I pulled that punch." She hopped off the bed, moving over to check the fallen man. "I hope I didn't kill him. He's a sleaze, but I didn't want him dead." Ranma breathed a sigh of relief as she noted him breathing. "Hmm, before he wakes up. I think I should get ready for a little chat." 

***************************

Later, back at their meeting place, Akane entered the room at a run, and sighed in relief to find Nabiki and Ranma already there. "I'm sorry Nabiki, I know you said not to do anything to give away our plans, but.." Akane took a second look at her fiancé. "Ranma! What are you wearing?" 

Ranma shrugged. "I borrowed Yusaku's shirt. I didn't want to wear that kimono again. Too restrictive, if we got into a fight." 

Akane glanced down at the long expanse of leg Ranma was showing off, but decided not to complain. At least Ranma borrowed his shirt, and not just his pants. <'I swear, that boy just has no sense of feminine modesty.'> Akane's memories flashed back to all the times Ranma had forgotten to wear a shirt, much less a bra, after getting changed into a girl. <'He nearly gave dad a heart attack a few times..'> 

Nabiki cleared her throat. "Alright, what did you do, Akane? Ranma here decided to knock out Yusaku." 

Ranma frowned. "Hey, I was out of options! He kept on telling me I wasn't functioning right, and he'd have to reprogram me, every time I tried to ask him stuff. All he was interested in was getting me in bed!" 

Nabiki sighed. "Did you really have to knock him cold?" 

Ranma glared angrily at her. "It was that or sleep with him! Anyway, I figured I could tie him up and interrogate him." She shrugged sheepishly. "Only I kinda hit him too hard. He's still out cold for all I know, so I grabbed his shirt and got here just now." 

Akane shook her head. "There wasn't anything else you could do. Anyway, it doesn't matter. We should get out of here right away." 

Nabiki sighed, muttering under her breath. "She could have just done it...." She sighed again and spoke up. "Never mind. What did you do, Akane?" 

Akane chewed nervously on her lip. "Well I kind of... broke their master computer." 

END of Chapter 1 


	3. 2

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru, Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi 

**

Strangers in a Strange Land Chapter 2

**

Later, back at their meeting place, Akane entered the room at a run, and sighed in relief to find Nabiki and Ranma already there. "I'm sorry Nabiki, I know you said not to do anything to give away our plans, but...." Akane took a second look at her fiancé. "Ranma! What are you wearing?" 

Ranma shrugged. "I borrowed Yusaku's shirt. I didn't want to wear that kimono again. Too restrictive, if we got into a fight." 

Akane glanced down at the long expanse of leg Ranma was showing off, but decided not to complain. At least Ranma borrowed his shirt, and not just his pants. <'I swear, that boy just has no sense of feminine modesty.'> Akane's memories flashed back to all the times Ranma had forgotten to wear a shirt, much less a bra, after getting changed into a girl. <'He nearly gave dad a heart attack a few times....'> 

Nabiki cleared her throat. "Alright, what did you do, Akane? Ranma here decided to knock out Yusaku."

Ranma frowned. "Hey, I was out of options! He kept on telling me I wasn't functioning right, and he'd have to reprogram me, every time I tried to ask him stuff. All he was interested in was getting me in bed!" 

Nabiki sighed. "Did you really have to knock him cold?" 

Ranma glared angrily at her. "It was that or sleep with him! Anyway, I figured I could tie him up and interrogate him." She shrugged sheepishly. "Only I kinda hit him too hard. He's still out cold for all I know, so I grabbed his shirt and got here just now." 

Akane shook her head. "There wasn't anything else you could do. Anyway, it doesn't matter. We should get out of here right away." 

Nabiki sighed, muttering under her breath. "She could have just done it...." She sighed again and spoke up. "Never mind. What did you do, Akane?" 

Akane chewed nervously on her lip. "Well I kind of... broke their master computer." 

Nabiki looked incredulous. "You what?" 

Akane hurried on. "Well, Kasumi said that household marionettes have a radio that's only a radio, but combat models have a remote control device. So I asked her which one I was and she didn't know. SO I asked her where the device was and she said it was in the master computer. So. I asked Kasumi where the master computer was and.." 

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "And you smashed it, eh?" 

Akane shrugged sheepishly. "Well. yes. Anyway, I think we're combat models. I smashed the computer really easily. I'm pretty sure I'm a lot stronger than Kasumi.." 

Nabiki sighed. "Oh well, so much for subtlety. With you and Ranma, we're going to have to run for it alright. I hope they don't have a backup for that computer." 

Ranma looked worried. "Do you think they can... control us?" 

Nabiki shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe not with their computer smashed. Anyway, I figured you two might do something like this, so I've come up with a plan." She brought out a sheaf of papers she had tucked into her obi. "I've got a map of the city we're in, and a couple of recent newspapers. I had a hunch, and I looked up everything I could find on Lorelei." Nabiki held out a newspaper. Its front page had a large shot of a beautiful, willowy, lean woman with long, light reddish blond hair. "According to this article, Lorelei is some kind of... Martin Luther King for Marionettes. Pretty controversial actually. Apparently she helped to create the marionette technology, or at least part of it, three hundred years ago. She apparently has been speaking for 'Marionette rights'. It hasn't gone over really well, as you might have guessed, but since she's the only living female on the planet, she carries a bit of weight. "I figure, if anyone can help us, it's her." 

Akane looked hopeful. "If she helped create the marionettes, maybe she could take out our remote control circuits. if we have them." 

Nabiki nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Now, we've really got to go. I'm surprised no one's started looking for us already." 

Akane grinned. "Well, actually, speaking of that, I think we might have an easier time with getting away then you would think. Kasumi told me that Yusaku and Godai have around a dozen or so combat marionettes for security. A couple of them ran into the room when I started trashing the computer, but I managed to break it before they reached me and they collapsed. I don't think any of them will be able to come after us for awhile." 

Nabiki nodded with a relieved look. "Good! Still, we'd better get out of here before the local police or whatever show up." 

Ranma nodded in return, back in familiar territory. Tactics, she could handle. "Alright, I'll lead. Akane, you take up the rear. Which way once we get out, Nabiki?" 

Nabiki shrugged. "I'll tell you once we get outside. I'll need to get my bearings." 

Ranma nodded again in understanding. "OK, lets go." The petite red head moved quickly out of the room, followed by Nabiki and Akane. They found the front door in moments and exited at a run, steadily increasing speed as Ranma realized that Nabiki was easily keeping pace without effort. In fact, Ranma noticed all three of were running almost without effort. For her, that wasn't so unusual, being used to heavy exertion as a highly skilled martial artist, but normally she would expect to feel a least a hint of fatigue. <'Must be these robot bodies.'> Ranma mused. <'I wonder if we ever get tired?'> 

As they passed through the front gate, Nabiki stopped looking around and opened her map. "Alright. I need a landmark to get my bearings. The Imperial palace is supposed to be the tallest building in the city.." 

Ranma pointed to the top of a nearby three-story building. "Let's get a better view." 

Nabiki frowned. "How am I going to get up there? I'm not an absurdly skilled martial artist like you two." 

Ranma looked at her encouragingly. "I'd bet you are as strong as Akane and me now, Nabiki. Come on, we'll help you." The red head turned to Akane. "You feeling up to some roof hopping?" 

Akane nodded. "I'm easily twice as strong as before, if not more. No problem." She and Ranma got on either side of Nabiki and took a hold of an arm at the shoulder. 

"OK, Nabiki." Ranma said confidently. "Bend your knees, and get ready. We'll jump on three. One, two, three!" Nabiki grit her teeth, bent her knees, and jumped as hard as she could. Despite Ranma's assurance, she was startled to find herself flying over the lip of the roof. They ended up landing near the peak of the roof's slanted surface almost effortlessly. 

Nabiki whistled. "Oh. Oh wow. I could get used to this." 

The three girls looked around at the city in wonder. It looked like something from their history books, the buildings and roads reminding them all strongly of the Japanese Feudal period. The slanted, tiled roofs, the finely cobblestoned roads were just slightly too perfect to be from the past. 

Ranma finally broke Nabiki out of her astonished reverie. "Hey, Nabiki-san, why does this place look like it's five hundred years in the past, instead of the future?" 

Nabiki shook her head. "Who knows. I suppose they simply wanted to do it this way. It is pretty though, isn't it?" 

Akane nodded, smiling. "I like it. Although they didn't have skyscrapers in the feudal period...." She pointed to some tall buildings off in the distance, around eight to ten stories in height, although otherwise matching the shorter building around them. 

"Well," Nabiki looked thoughtful. "I have seen some pretty big buildings that existed back a few hundred. no make that over a thousand years ago, now. They're not too out of place." 

Ranma spoke up. "Nabiki, I have another question." She pointed out across the city. "Is that the Imperial palace?" 

Nabiki turned to look and followed Ranma's arm. "Hmm, yes. I'm pretty sure it is." 

Ranma nodded. "OK, so, where can we find this Lorelei?" 

Nabiki shrugged, and pointed. "Actually... at the Imperial palace. Convenient, isn't it?" 

Akane raised an eyebrow. "Something makes me think this isn't going to be as easy as walking up to the front gate and asking to see her." 

Nabiki shrugged again. "I'd have to say you're probably right." 

"Nothin to do but try, right?" The red headed former boy grinned. "Come on, let's go!" 

The three girls moved slowly at first. Roof hopping was a new experience for Nabiki, and she was cautious in the beginning, taking one leap at a time. Despite her new speed and strength, Nabiki had no desire to slip and fall at the height they were at. Akane and especially Ranma had no trouble, regardless of their increased strength, but for Nabiki, the change was much greater. Judging the distances properly and landing correctly were skills she had never acquired. Several times Nabiki nearly did fall from the rooftops, saved only by Ranma's quick reflexes. By the time they finally reached the outskirts of the imperial palace, however, she was finally starting to get the hang of it. 

They came to a halt on a rooftop just across a large open area in front of the palace's outer wall. The wall was around twenty feet in height. No obstacle to them, but impressive enough. The palace itself lay forty to fifty yards from the wall. It had several smaller buildings arranged around it in a regular, evenly spaced, though pleasant looking pattern. The palace itself towered over three hundred feet in height. 

Ranma glanced at Nabiki. "OK, we're here. Now what?" How do we find this woman, Lorelei?" 

Nabiki pursed her lips. "Well, the article only said she was staying here, not exactly where she was in the palace grounds. So we'll just have to look for her." 

Akane gestured down at the large gates off to their right that led into the grounds. "I know what I said before, but why don't we just go up to the main gate, and ask to see her?" 

Nabiki shook her head. "I don't think so. From everything we've learned so far, I get the impression that rogue marionettes wouldn't be welcomed at the palace. I mean, everyone thinks of marionettes as machines here, robots. The thought of robots as strong as we are, with free will, uncontrolled.. That is going to scare people." 

Ranma frowned. "Hey, it's not like we're going to hurt anybody. A martial artist doesn't attack the weak." 

Nabiki looked dubious. "Sure, WE know that, to them, however, you're not a martial artist, but an uncontrolled marionette. We've got to figure out how to do this without creating more problems than we solve." 

Akane sat down, frowning. "OK, Nabiki. What do you think we should do?" 

***************************** 

Yusaku woke gradually, acutely aware of his aching jaw and the lump on the back of his head. He realized suddenly that he was lying on his bed, while someone pounded loudly at his door. 

"Yusaku? Yusaku are you in there? Are you alright?" Godai's worried voice came through clearly and the young man groaned to himself. 

Yusaku rose slowly to answer his door. "Yes. yes! I'm here." 

The door burst open and Godai came in. "Yusaku, something terrible has happened! Our new prototypes have run off. They destroyed the main computer and ran off!" 

Yusaku rubbed his jaw, then felt the lump on the back of his head. "She hit me?" He frowned angrily. "She hit me!" 

Godai looked concerned. "Have you heard what I have been saying? The new marionettes have run off, and destroyed the main computer!" 

Yusaku glared at him. "I heard you, old man! The red head, Ranma, hit me! Without warning, she struck me! I'm lucky to be alive!" 

Godai nodded. "Yes, it's as bad as I feared. I believe I miscalculated the power of their maiden circuits. According to the reports, a maiden circuit should have made them intensely loyal to us, but I saw no sign of it. Instead they were emotional and uncontrollable. There must have been some degradation of their memory storage devices over the centuries. They are not at all as Tatewaki Kuno described in his memoirs." 

Yusaku sniffed angrily to himself and glared at his father. "Godai, I told you. We should have programmed restraints into them!" 

Godai shook his head. "That would have changed their memories. I wanted them as realistic as possible.." 

Yusaku laughed bitterly. "Well, if this was what "real women" are like, I want no part of them! Why haven't you sent the house sentries after them?" 

Godai glared back at Yusaku. "I told you, the main computer was destroyed! I've started up the backup, but it's not up to running the full sentry program. Either it can run half the sentries at full efficiency, or all of them at fifty percent. Either way, I don't want to try recapturing the prototypes until the whole group is fully active." 

Yusaku blinked. "We have over a dozen fully operative "Cherry Blossom" T sentries, and you hesitate? As you said, the prototypes have not had any external programs put in. The Cherry Blossoms are programmed with the finest combat software. Despite the quality of the prototypes hardware, those three marionettes should be no match for twice their number of combat marionettes." 

Godai shook his head. "I have done more research into their histories than you, Yusaku. Tatewaki Kuno reported that Akane Tendo was dan ranked in Kendo, Jujitsu, and was a master of her family's school of Indiscriminate Grappling. While records of the red haired girl are spotty at best, Tatewaki reported that she was even more skilled than Akane. The only records of a "Ranma", who was recorded as a male, say that he, or she, was the recognized grand master of the Indiscriminate Grappling style, and ranked very high in almost a dozen different schools of martial arts outside his, or her, own school. While Nabiki Tendo was not noted for her martial skills, she WAS renowned for her intellect, and she did live at her father's dojo for most of her young adult life." 

Yusaku frowned. "The bodies you constructed, were those of "Sabers" correct? The top of the line combat models?" 

Godai nodded soberly. "Correct. I felt the benefits of having loyal, intelligent consorts, able to serve as bodyguards against nearly any threat, outweighed any possible risk." 

Yusaku groaned. "Well, it looks like you've made one too many errors, old man. How are we going to get them back?" 

Godai gazed at the younger man calmly. "I have already taken steps. Did you notice, during dinner, the Akane marionette's interest in Lorelei? I believe they may seek her out. I have notified the Imperial palace of a trio of rogue marionettes, with faulty maiden circuits. The castle's guards should be more than capable of handling them." 

******************************** 

Nabiki hesitated, looking down at the front gates. "We could claim to have a message for Lorelei, from our "masters", and see if they'll let us give it in person.." 

Ranma and Akane started at a sudden faint noise. They stood and looked in the direction it came from. Two tall women stood threateningly facing them from the edge of the rooftop. The woman on the left had long, white purple hair in a long ponytail, and wore a red kimono. Her companion had dark green bluish hair, and wore a green kimono with a black obi. Both woman were tall, taller than any of the girls, fierce and noble looking. The woman on the left carried a long "bisento" spear, and her companion had the long hilts of swords peeking over both her shoulders. Ranma went into a subtle defensive stance immediately, and she sensed Akane doing the same. 

The woman in red spoke commandingly. "Identify yourselves! What is your purpose here?" 

Ranma stepped forward, partially shielding her own companions with her body. "I am Ranma Saotome, and we're here to see Lorelei." 

The tall bisento wielder pointed her spear in their direction and spoke again. "Lorelei is expecting no visitors. Surrender yourselves now." 

Ranma frowned. "Surrender? Why? What have we done?" 

The white and purple haired marionette answered promptly. "You have destroyed property and endangered the populace. You must surrender to us now." 

Nabiki grimaced, speaking quietly. "Damn, Godai must have called ahead." 

Akane looked worried. "What are we going to do?" 

Ranma kept his eyes on the two marionettes across the roof. "We gotta get out of here, now, before they call in backup or somethin." She whispered fiercely to the two Tendo sisters. 

Once again, the red clad marionettes spoke. "Remain where you are. You will be taken into custody and returned to your owners. Do not resist." 

Ranma snorted. "To heck with that. Akane, get Nabiki outta here. I'll stall these two and follow ya." Akane nodded quickly, and before Nabiki could protest, she scooped her older sister up and leaped from the rooftop, bounding toward the horizon in long, parabolic arcs. The two tall, weapon-carrying marionettes moved to intercept, but Ranma got in their way. Her delicate looking hands beckoned to them almost welcomingly. A cocky smile appeared on Ranma's face. "Uh, uh, uh." Ranma shook her head. "I'm your dancing partner tonight." 

The two amazon like warriors didn't hesitate, charging to the attack. Ranma leapt over a low sweep from the bisento, while the marionette in green drew both of her swords from their sheaths at once. Ranma was surprised when the two blades crackled with highly visible energy, but didn't let herself become distracted. The short red head was too busy dodging her amazonian opponents ever increasing offensive to waste time in speculation. 

<'I've got to stay away from those swords.'> Was the only coherent thought Ranma could manage as her body took over, evading like a butterfly before a hurricane. As time passed, Ranma became aware that Akane was getting out of sight, and knew it was time to act. 

The few initial seconds of combat had given Ranma a good idea of her opponents' abilities. They followed classic patterns of attack for their weapons, practically without flaw. This left their defenses strong, but in every pattern, there was a weakness. In the palace guards' case, Ranma realized the weakness was in the pattern itself. The sentries' attacks seemed varied at first, but to a large degree, they followed the same form. All she had to do, she realized, was to anticipate the next moves they would make ahead of time, and exploit them. 

Dodging a downward swipe by the bisento, Ranma spun to the left, putting the spear wielder in the way of the woman with two swords. Before they could reorient themselves so that they both could attack again, Ranma had found her opening. Moving in, even as the tall, red-clothed woman brought her bisento up in a high sweep, Ranma slid between her legs before the marionette could reverse her swing. Ranma kicked out at both of her legs simultaneously, and brought the tall woman down, falling toward her companion. Before the marionette in green could get out of the way, Ranma pushed up with her hands, planting both feet in the stomach of the falling amazon, and launching her toward her companion with every muscle in her body. Unable to get clear, the green-haired marionette was carried along with her white-haired ally as Ranma's thrust knocked them both off the rooftop. 

Even before they started to fall, Ranma had flipped to her feet and was sprinting in the direction Akane had gone. Ranma left the rooftop with a powerful leap, arcing forward in a shallow parabola, reaching the next roof in a moment, then leaping onward with increasing speed. By the time the two palace sentries had recovered from their fall and regained the rooftops, Ranma was out of sight. After carefully surveying the nearby area, they glanced at each other, then took off toward the palace to report. 

****************************** 

Half a mile away, Ranma had slowed down her breakneck pace and was scanning the rooftops and streets around her as she bounded along low to the surface of the roofs. Ranma heard something whistling through the air at her and spun, breaking the flying piece of roofing tile into pieces with a downward block. She tracked along the flight path of the hurled object and spotted Akane and Nabiki in a nearby alleyway. With a grin, Ranma leapt down to join them. 

Akane moved forward with a worried look, and started checking Ranma for damage. "What happened? Are you alright?" 

Ranma shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothin I couldn't handle." She frowned slightly. "And don't mother me, I ain't hurt." 

Akane stepped back, looking annoyed. "Not that you'd admit it if you were, you stubborn jerk." 

Ranma snorted. "Like I'd want you to help? You're so clumsy, you're more likely to pull one of my arms off then to fix anything." 

Akane's brow knitted in anger and she was about to reply heatedly when Nabiki interrupted. "I hate to break up your lover's quarrel, but this isn't really the time or place." 

Ranma and Akane both turned to face her. "We're not.! Why would I.?" 

Nabiki grinned. "I've heard that before too. You're not fooling anyone, you know." Ranma and Akane both hesitated uncertainly and Nabiki continued. "I know you two too well. You don't have to fight the engagement anymore, you know. Daddy and Mr. Saotome are long gone, and we're on another planet! You don't have to pretend anymore." 

Akane and Ranma blinked, then spoke as one again. "Hey I'm not.! What do you mean, pretending.?" They stopped, glanced at each other, and blushed in embarrassment, then spoke up a third time as one. "No really! Why would you.?" 

The former fiancees' stopped yet again and Nabiki laughed. "Oh yes, I can tell how much you don't care. You two even protest like you're joined at the hip!" Ranma and Akane looked ready to protest again, but Nabiki cut them off. "Never mind, just... calm down, OK? No one's going to make you guys get married. We've got other problems now, and no time to deal with your usual bickering." The two younger girls nodded finally, a bit shame-faced, and Nabiki took a breath. "OK, now that that's settled, what do we do next?" 

****************************** 

The two palace sentries made their way into the inner palace, then down into the laboratories beneath it, where Lorelei was working. The willowy scientist was hunched over a computer when they found her running simulations on the reconstruction of a broken maiden circuit. Tiger, one of the six active saber marionettes known to exist, had been damaged a few weeks before Lorelei had been rescued from her hibernation on board the colony ship. Most of the damage was readily repairable, but the damage to her maiden circuit was not. The maiden circuit contained all the emotional data collected by the marionette in her lifetime. To simply replace the damaged circuit would be to eliminate all that data, all the emotions and feeling she had experienced. 

Lorelei couldn't do that to Tiger. Although they had never met, Lorelei knew that Tiger was an individual with great potential and a history of experiences that was vital to who she was. To simply get rid of all that would be like killing her. As it was, however, Tiger was barely alive. The damage to her maiden circuit left her lost in the past, remembering events from decades before, but nothing from the present. Tiger was unable to interact normally with the world around her, as she equated everything with those past experiences, unable somehow to tell the difference. 

Lorelei had been trying for weeks to reconstruct the lost data, and repair the circuit without losing anything more, but so far she had not gotten very far. When the two main palace sentries came into her lab, Lorelei almost welcomed her distraction. "Tamasaburo, Baiko, what's happened? Why are you here?" 

Baiko, the marionette with blue/green hair and a green and black kimono, spoke. "We have encountered a group of saber marionettes outside the palace. We received a report of three escaped marionettes with faulty maiden circuits. Their owners informed the palace guard that they might be headed this way." 

Lorelei interrupted. "Maiden circuits? These marionettes had maiden circuits? I wasn't aware that any existed, outside of those that were created. to rescue me. Who created them?" 

Baiko shook her head. "We were not informed. The head of the house of Kuno, Godai, informed the guard of three rogue marionettes, claiming that they had destroyed his master computer and some other property, and they were dangerously unstable." 

Lorelei nodded. "I see. He said that their maiden circuits were faulty? Perhaps they were an older model of the device." She looked interested. "You said you encountered them?" 

Baiko nodded in affirmation. "We encountered three marionettes fitting the description we were given, on a rooftop overlooking the palace wall. Apparently, they were discussing how to enter the compound. They seemed to wish to find you." 

"They did?" Lorelei questioned. "Why? Did they say why they wanted to see me?" 

Baiko shook her head. "Just that they were here to visit you." 

Lorelei raised an eyebrow. "What happened? Where are they now?" 

Baiko shook her head again. "Unfortunately, they escaped. We were knocked from the roof and lost sight of them for 9.4 seconds, during which time they got out of sight." 

Tamasaburo nodded at Tiger. "I would estimate them to be on a threat level equivalent to Faust's sabers. Normal methods will not be sufficient to capture them." 

Lorelei blinked. "I see. Perhaps we should request Otaru's help." The two sentries stood silently, waiting for a command, and Lorelei cleared her throat. "Please ask Otaru and company to come by. Tell them I will need their help yet again." The two tall marionettes bowed once then retreated, leaving Lorelei to her thoughts. <'Otaru.'> She pictured the brash and impulsive young man in her mind's eye and sighed. <'Brash and impulsive he may be.'> Lorelei admitted to herself. <'But there is no finer man in all of Japoness.'> 

Lorelei smiled sadly at the memories that called up, memories of Otaru, and of another. <'Faust spent all of his life trying to save me. The rest of that life, and the lives of his next ten clones. Why? Why did he drive himself so hard?'> Lorelei sighed and started toward the stairs. It really wasn't difficult to understand Faust's obsession. He had been very much in love with her. Lorelei shook her head sadly. <'He was so much in love that he would do anything to save me, even go to war.'> As she walked up the stairs toward the main section of the palace, Lorelei fought back a wave of guilt. <'It was my fault. It was all my fault.'> Intellectually, Lorelei knew that in reality, she had no control over Faust's actions. She had gone into suspended animation to begin her long wait for rescue long before any of the events that would lead to the war came about. 

Lorelei herself had been still sleeping in hibernation when it had happened, but she still blamed herself for their deaths. <'Ieyasu died because of me. He and his chancellor died to save me. twice.'> The sole human female currently living on the planet let a tear run down her face as she came to the top of the stairs. Lorelei tried to distract herself from thoughts of remorse. <'I've been down in the lab for hours. I completely forgot to eat.'> Her stomach growled as she turned to go toward the kitchen. As Lorelei entered the palace kitchen, she recalled the chain of events that had led to her revival. 

At first, Lorelei had thrown herself into cloning a new generation of women from her genes, using the sophisticated technology beneath the Imperial palace of Japoness to create a large diverse female population. That task had finally gone beyond any need for her help. The clones were maturing nicely, and in less than a year, just under a hundred baby girls would go to the best families on the planet. It wasn't very many, compared to the full population of men, but it was a secure start. The cost, however, for Lorelei's rescue had been great. Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry had sacrificed themselves in order to save her. 

Otaru had gone into a severe depression at the loss of his beloved family. Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry had been like his children, his siblings, and his girlfriends all at once. He would have rather died than not see them again. Otaru's friends, especially Hanagata Mitsuru, an aristocratic young man who believed he was Otaru's destined love, tried to cheer him up, but to no avail. Lorelei as well had tried to comfort Otaru, feeling primarily responsible for the pain he was going through. Lorelei had no more success in cheering Otaru up than anyone else, but she had succeeded in doing one thing, falling in love with him. 

Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry had been designed to emulate the three aspects of Lorelei's personality. Specifically, they were living embodiments of her innocence, her charity, and her desires as a woman. The three marionettes had done more than that. Each of them had grown a fully realized personality, the whole becoming much more than the sum of its parts. They had matured from being Otaru's loyal servants, into simply loving him with all of their artificial hearts. They could gladly sacrifice themselves in order that he and his world live. They could do this not because they were programmed to, but because they loved him. 

As the three aspects of her personality had fallen in love with him, Lorelei found it easy to do the same. Otaru, however, was in too much grief to accept a substitute, and Lorelei hadn't tried to become one, respecting the young man's need for time. She could understand what he was going through, perhaps, better than he himself could. Months had passed, and Otaru started to come back to life, when miraculously, Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry returned! 

The colony ship had suffered too much damage in the battle to free Lorelei, and had finally broken down entirely. Otaru's three marionettes had found an escape pod and managed to get back to the planet intact. The reunion had been joyous but it forced Lorelei to give up any thoughts of a relationship between Otaru and herself. She had thrown herself back into her work, which was, in fact, nearly complete. 

With her most important work complete, and with all the guilt over the suffering that had been caused, indirectly or not, by her failures, Lorelei had fallen into a suicidal depression. Thankfully, Otaru and his marionettes had realized something was wrong before Lorelei could 'accidentally' kill herself. During that darkest of nights in Lorelei's life, Otaru had convinced her that the world still needed her, that she still had much to live for. 

Lorelei found herself in front of her bathroom mirror and blinked at the sight she found there. <'Oh my! I look dreadful! And Otaru and company will be here soon.'> She hesitated, sighing. <'But why should I bother to clean up? I'm not trying to impress him anymore.'> Lorelei forced herself to smile. <'He's happy now, and I should be glad for him. I am glad for him, it's just....'> 

Lorelei stared into the mirror for several long moments, taking in her bloodshot eyes and tear stained cheeks. <'I really should clean up, unless I want Otaru to worry about me without reason.'> She smiled wryly as she picked up a washcloth and started to fill the sink. <'I won't be competing with Lime and the others after all. I couldn't do that, after all they did for me, for everyone.'> Lorelei smiled with genuine fondness as she thought of the three marionettes. She really did like them tremendously. Despite their original design, they had turned out to be much more than simply aspects of her. They were living, breathing people, as worthy of respect and life as any human, at least in her eyes. 

After cleaning herself up a bit, Lorelei went to her closet to find something to change into. She passed over the dresses and more feminine apparel that she had tended to wear before the three marionettes' return, and selected a checkered work shirt and a pair of jeans that she tended to wear around her rooms and for gardening. Lorelei finished dressing and checked her appearance in the mirror. Sufficiently healthy looking but not too provocative. Lorelei seriously doubted that Otaru could be drawn from his family by her 'feminine charms' but it wouldn't be right to test that theory. She smiled and nodded in satisfaction, then headed down to wait for her guest in the palace's entranceway.

A thought struck her as Lorelei started walking. <'Perhaps these new marionettes with maiden circuits will provide me with a new perspective on Tiger's problem.'>

********************************************** 

Down in their alleyway, Ranma, Akane and Nabiki had come up and rejected half a dozen plans for sneaking into the palace. The one problem they couldn't see a way around was getting past the two sentries that had stopped them before. While Akane and Nabiki leaned against the alley wall, Ranma paced agitatedly. "Arrgh! This shouldn't be so difficult! We just have to get them out of the palace, and sneak past them." 

Akane glanced at Ranma, then past the red head, her eyes going wide. "Um. Ranma?" 

Ranma continued pacing. "That's it. We just gotta set up a distraction or something." 

"Ranma.." Akane cleared her throat, looking smug. 

"What is it?" Ranma looked around at her ex-fiancee in mild irritation. "Can't you see I'm trying to think?" 

Akane nodded. "Uh huh. You were just saying we should get them out of the palace?" 

Ranma nodded back. "Right. So?" 

Akane pointed toward the rooftops a hundred feet away. "Well they are. They just ran by up on the rooftops, heading that way." She pointed away from the palace. 

Ranma blinked. "Are you sure?" 

Akane looked slightly annoyed. "Positive, the same two. Something tells me there aren't another two exactly like them." 

Nabiki had a thoughtful look on her face. "It's likely you're correct, but we can't be sure." 

Waving her hand in dismissal, Ranma disagreed. "No, no, it had to be them! They're probably out looking for us. Now is our chance to get into the palace!" 

Akane nodded. "Right, we'd better hurry, so we can get out of there before they return." As one, both Akane and Ranma hesitated and glanced at Nabiki. 

"There will probably be more guards.." Ranma began. 

"It's not safe, Nabiki.." Akane broke in. 

Nabiki shrugged. "Get going. I'll wait for you two here. Derring do was never my style anyway." 

Akane smiled gratefully. "Don't worry big sister. We'll be back as soon as possible. 

Ranma jerked her head toward the street. "Come on, Akane. Time's a wastin.." 

"Coming!" Akane shot over her shoulder then turned to go. Ranma led the way, leaping out of the alleyway to a nearby rooftop with Akane following just behind. They were out of sight in moments. 

Nabiki sighed to herself. "Be careful." 

End of Chapter 2 


	4. 3

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru, Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi 

**

Strangers in a Strange Land: Chapter 3 

**

Minutes passed in the dark alleyway, seeming like hours. With nothing to do but wait, Nabiki quickly started to wish she had gone with Ranma and her younger sister. Her growing boredom was broken when she heard the sound of a door behind her opening. Nabiki whirled around as the open doorway lit up the shadowed alley with light from inside what sounded and smelled like a large kitchen. A middle-aged man in a white apron walked out of the door carrying some boxes before Nabiki could figure out where to hide. He looked at her quizzically for a few seconds while Nabiki hesitated in indecision. Finally he spoke. "What are you doing back here?"

Nabiki hesitated a bit more before answering. "I'm waiting for my… master." 

The man looked dubious. "In the alley?" He shook his head and muttered under his breath. "Must have gotten lost." 

Nodding to himself, he waved Nabiki towards him. "Come with me, we'll contact your master inside and tell him where you are." 

Nabiki blinked, taking time to formulate a response. "No, I must wait here." She spoke with no inflection, keeping her face as emotionless as the other marionettes she had seen in the Kuno mansion. 

The man looked surprised. "No?" His brow wrinkled and he put his boxes down next to the door. "Huh." He peered at her, scratching his head. "Maybe I wasn't clear enough. That was a direct order. You're lost. No ones going to be meeting you here. Come inside, and I'll call your master for you." He shook his head muttering to himself again. "Dressed like that, must be lost." Nabiki involuntarily glanced down at the elegant kimono she was wearing, which did, in fact, look quite out of place in the dark alley. 

Glancing back up at the man, she came to a decision. <'I'm not going in there with him. I might not be able to leave.'> She turned away. "I have to leave now." The man started to protest, but Nabiki hurried around the corner before he could say much. <'Don't mess this up, girl!'> Nabiki angrily told herself. <'One slip in the wrong place and who know what will happen'>? She forced herself to keep to a fast walking pace. <'Don't run… you'll just look suspicious if you run.'> 

She faintly heard the door slamming shut in the alley behind her and breathed a sigh of relief. <'Good, I guess he didn't feel curious enough to bother chasing me down. Still, I can't go back there. If he sees me waiting around in his alley again, he's sure to figure out that something's up.'> Nabiki started walking down the street in a random direction. <'Now what? Akane and Ranma will be expecting me to be waiting for them there. How am I going to meet up with them if I can't stay in that alley?'> She tried to think as she walked. <'I need to be able to stick around somewhere nearby until they get back, but what can I use for an excuse?'> 

Nabiki frowned. <'I don't know enough about marionettes to know how to act, or what a lone marionette might be doing….'> She found herself walking onto a busy street and forced herself to keep going. <'Just keep calm and walk like you've got some place to go and everyone will assume you do.'> It seemed to be working. No one questioned the lone marionette as she moved down the street. Nabiki used the opportunity to look around until she noticed the puzzled looks she was starting to get. She automatically schooled her expression. <'OK, obviously marionettes don't normally go gawking around at the scenery. I should keep my head still and just observe unobtrusively.'> 

It was getting dark now, but the street she was on was still busy with pedestrians. Most everyone dressed as they would in feudal era Japan, although there were the occasional exceptions. The one constant was men, men everywhere. Marionettes seemed to be few and far between. 

Makes sense. Nabiki mused. <'Not everyone would be able to afford his own personal robot. I wonder how common marionettes are around here?'> Nabiki spotted a pair of marionettes after several blocks. They were walking on either side of an older looking man in a richly embroidered robe. The two marionettes were both tall and attractive looking, and wearing rather provocative clothing, although not so much so to be tacky. Nabiki was mildly impressed, in spite of herself. <'I wonder how I'd look in that?'> She smirked slightly as she passed the small group. <'Status symbols eh? That makes sense, servants, bodyguards and decoration all rolled into one.'> 

Nabiki schooled her expression and went back to quietly observing the crowd as she walked down the street. She noticed several more marionettes as she wandered, slowly coming back around to the alleyway she was to meet Ranma and Akane at. A few men had a single marionette walking behind them, a variety of different types. They were modestly dressed in kimonos, for the most part, although, like the men, there was some variation. There was a marionette outside of what appeared to be a particularly successful bar of some sort, inviting people inside, and another sitting motionless in the window of what appeared to be a pawn shop, although she seemed a bit dusty. What all the marionettes had in common was a general standard of beauty and equally vacant expressions. Some seemed cheerful, others calm, but none of them seemed to have anything in the way of real emotion. 

<'They're all dolls. That's about all I can see.'> Nabiki shook her head slightly. <'At least it won't be too hard to fake those vacant expressions. I just have to keep from reacting to anything, and who could be better at that then me, the "Ice Queen", Nabiki Tendo?'>

Nabiki nearly lost her composure just moments later. Coming down the street toward her was a large group of marionettes. The largest, at least, that she had yet seen up to that point. Five marionettes were walking in a group clustered around one unremarkable young man. Nabiki had to force herself not to stare. She slowed down slightly and took as good as look as she could without appearing too obvious about it. The marionettes in that group were as varied a bunch as Nabiki had yet seen. 

The shortest of the five was around Ranma's height, just over five feet. She had purple hair elegantly gathered into two long braids hanging down on either side of her head, and wore a formal looking pink and white robe that looked like a cross between a kimono and a dress. On her head she wore an elaborate but heavy looking pair of red hair ornaments. Despite the formality and elegance of her clothing, she had the appearance of a prepubescent teen.

The second marionette Nabiki noticed seemed a bit older, perhaps around sixteen to eighteen years old in appearance. Her clothing was as playful, however, as her demeanor. She appeared to be wearing a form-fitting, one piece, black, spandex outfit under a flowing white shirt with long billowing sleeves that flapped about in an entertaining fashion as the lively marionette bounced around. That, primarily, was what drew Nabiki's eyes to her. It wasn't the bright blue hair peeking out playfully from underneath her jaunty yellow hat (which, incidentally had a shiny red ball attached to the left side of it, quite similar to one of the hair ornaments the first marionette was wearing) and cascading haphazardly down her back. It was the animation of her movements and the bright, cheerful smile on her face that made her vividly different from the others. 

Nabiki blinked in confusion. <'She's acting like a kid out on a family trip.'> The other three were less unusual, at least in comparison to the majority of the marionettes Nabiki had seen. All three were tall, although not quite as statuesque as the two palace guards had been. Two of them looked particularly fierce. One had long red hair gathered up in a topknot and held back from her forehead with a white headband and falling down to her waist. She was more handsome in appearance than beautiful, with a proud look in her eyes. She wore a tight fitting pair of black bicycle shots that left her midriff bare, and a tight red and black, spandex halter top with a high collar that showed off her impressive cleavage through a diamond shape cut out in the center. The white athletic socks and shoes, and the fingerless gloves she wore with the large blunt spikes over the knuckles gave Nabiki the impression that she was spoiling for a fight. The other of the more warlike pair had short, spiky blond hair, and wore a red, star shaped eyepatch over her right eye. She was dressed relatively casually, in a blue muscle tee under a red high collared vest and cut off jeans, which gave her a punkish look. 

The last of the five marionettes had short dark bluish hair in a pageboy cut, a bit like Nabiki's own hairstyle. She was dressed in a white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a red tie, and a knee-length blue skirt with slits up the sides give her legs full mobility, as well as please the male observer's eye. She had a serious, thoughtful expression and was the only one in the group to notice Nabiki's gaze. She looked back for several long seconds and Nabiki forced herself not to react, although the searching intelligence in those eyes was frightening.

Nabiki forced herself not to react and to keep moving at a steady pace. <'Does she suspect?'> The group passed on, leaving Nabiki behind, and she breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief. Her relief was heavily mixed with an almost overwhelming curiosity, but there was no way that she wanted to risk that last marionette's gaze again. <'Those marionettes were alive! Like Ranma, Akane and me. I knew that it was possible, because we exist, but…. Godai described the Maiden circuits as if they were a very special piece of technology. If I'm not badly mistaken, however, five of them just went by, in those five marionettes!'> 

Nabiki went over the scene in her mind once more. <'Why did that guy have five marionettes? He didn't look like anything special, his clothes looked ordinary enough, he seemed like any other man I saw on the street. He's young, maybe my age… or at least the age I remember being.'> Nabiki hesitated. <'Wait, there was another young man walking with them… rich clothing, permed hair, slightly effeminate. A rich man's son if I've ever seen one, and I've seen plenty.'> She shook her head. <'No, the marionettes were with the first guy. The rich kid was a hanger on… which makes me even more curious about the first guy.'> 

Nabiki stopped, glancing behind her to where the group in question was almost getting out of sight. <'Should I follow them? If they spot me, they'll probably be able to catch me, and I'm currently wanted by the authorities. They aren't cops, but… they do look like they could be dangerous, especially those last three. Still, they're the only marionettes I've seen besides Ranma Akane and myself that were more than robots. What should I do, play it safe or take the risk?'> Nabiki had never been one to shy away from risk, but the situation had never had such dire consequences before. <'It's not worth it. There's no telling if I could find out anything useful by following them and equally possible that I'll get caught. Ranma and Akane would never know what had happened to me.'>

Nabiki sighed and turned the corner, letting the group go. She started moving back in the direction of the alleyway she was to meet Ranma and Akane at. Before long she reached it, and after only a moments hesitation slipped into the alley again. She looked around at the darkened alley once for hiding spots, then looked up, coming to a decision.

<'OK, I've done this already today. There's no reason I have to have Ranma and my little sister around to do it.'> Eyes firmly on the edge of the rooftop, Nabiki gathered herself and before she could change her mind, leaped. Nabiki found herself overshooting her target by half a dozen feet. She panicked and landed awkwardly, almost skidding back off the roof when she landed. One flailing hand dug into the roofing tiles, tearing a couple off before finding a purchase and stopping her from plummeting from the roof. 

Nabiki sighed in relief and pulled herself fully onto the rooftop, then gazed down at her handhold in amazement. <'Wow… I can hardly believe how strong I am in this body.'> Nabiki took her hand away from the series of inch deep grooves her fingers had carved into the roof's surface and shook her head. <'Clumsy, someone is going to notice that. I'd better hide.'> Nabiki looked around and spotted an overhang she could crouch under that would provide good cover if anyone happened to pass by on any of the nearby rooftops. <'From what I've seen, it's a real possibility.'> She went to the overhang and sat down, preparing to wait. <'You know... being bored would be a nice change about now.'>

*********************************** 

Ranma and Akane had reached the palace uneventfully, and had immediately attempted to sneak in. They had been dodging patrols of guards ever since. Hiding on the rooftop of one of the outriding buildings of the imperial palace, Akane and Ranma watched yet another groups of guards go by. The guards were off two types. Groups of men with staves, and groups of identical marionettes with bisento spears. The group that was currently going by was of marionettes. They all had identical features, short black hair done up in the formal fashion of ancient Japanese female nobility, in buns held together with long pins. They all wore orange and green kimonos and carried long bisentos. Each patrol they had seen had been a group of eight at least. 

As the latest group hurried by, Ranma shook her head in frustration. "They know we're here, Akane, there must have been some sort of silent alarm when we hopped the fence. These patrols didn't start running around until we came in." 

Akane nodded. "You're right, Ranma, but what can we do about it? How are we going to get past them and into the palace?" 

Ranma hesitated. "I'm working on it." She glanced left then pushed Akane down flat on the rooftop. "Stay down, here comes another patrol." Several long moments passed until the coast was clear again, and Ranma sat up. "I've got it. Since they know we're here, we just have to make sure they know we've left!" 

Akane looked slightly puzzled. "And how are we going to do that?" 

Ranma winked. "You'll see." 

********************************* 

Lorelei waited in the imperial throne room for Otaru and company. When the internal alarms had gone off, she had been evacuated to one of the most secure locations in the palace until the palace was confirmed to be secure. Her location wasn't particularly reassuring. It had been here, in fact that the latest incarnation of the Shogun, Ieyasu and his chancellor had been murdered, by two of the five marionettes that she was waiting to see along with Otaru. 

The fact that Faust had ordered them to do it, orders that, at the time, they had been incapable of disobeying, made Faust the one responsible. Faust had been driven insane by generations of memories forced upon him and he had been pardoned by the very men he had slain, living on inside their best marionettes. The pardon had been given in order to stop the war, and so that Faust could use his influence and resources in an attempt to save the planet, an effort that had succeeded, although killing Ieyasu and his chancellor for the final time in the process. The pardon still held, although it was unlikely Faust would be very welcome in Japoness any time soon. 

Lorelei, in fact, held no fear of Faust's "Saber Dolls" as he called them. They had finally gained enough consciousness to have a will of their own, not to mention the fact that Faust would never want her hurt in any way. Beside herself, perhaps, and Otaru, in fact, there were few that would even consider the "Saber Dolls" guilty of any crime. They were machines after all. No laws existed to punish someone else's property. 

Lorelei shook her head slightly, chiding herself for her negative thoughts. Despite the precautions that were being taken to assure her safety, she felt no fear. The Saber Dolls had vindicated their existence by helping to save her and in the process, the whole planet. Their first acts as free intelligences had been ones of peace, and they had shown no signs of dangerous intent since then. In repairing Tiger, she had discovered nothing but a gentle nature in the original programming of Faust's marionettes. They had originally been the child Faust's guardians and their violent actions since had been at his maddened command. 

Before too much time passed, Tamasaburo and Baiko came into the room, kneeling before her to report. (Despite Lorelei's protests, the two head sentries insisted on a great deal of formality when dealing with her, especially in the throne room.) "We have summoned Otaru and his marionettes to the palace. We have been informed of a pair of intruders in the palace, but they apparently fled before we could return from our mission. We have searched thoroughly, but there is no sign of them." Baiko reported calmly. 

Lorelei nodded. "I see. And Otaru?" 

Tamasaburo spoke next. "At his rate of travel, he should be arriving any time now. We proceeded him here by several minutes, but our search took precedence over reporting back. In fact, if he noticed the alarm outside, he will probably be…." Otaru and his three marionettes burst into the room at a run, followed closely by Faust's two, and last, by a panting Hanagata, Otaru's aristocratic neighbor and friend. 

Otaru came to a halt, looking relieved. "Lorelei, we heard that there were some intruders looking for you. I'm glad you're alright." 

Lorelei blushed slightly, glancing at the floor in front of her rather than meet his gaze. "Yes, I'm fine. Whoever they were, they were apparently driven off by the guards. I don't think you need to worry about me here in the palace." She looked up, having composed herself. "These intruders, however, are why I asked you here. Tamasaburo and Baiko informed me earlier today that three marionettes, apparently ones with maiden circuits, had approached the palace compound, intending to sneak inside and find me. What their purpose was, we don't know." 

Cherry, the short purple haired marionette in the pink and white robe, spoke up. "Where did these marionettes come from, Lorelei-san?" 

Lorelei looked in Cherry's direction. "The Kuno family apparently built them. The Kuno's were some of the first group of clones produced from Ieyasu's DNA, 300 years ago. They had much to do with the original construction of the first marionettes, and had a hand in building the prototypes of the maiden circuits that were built in order to rescue me." She paused. "It isn't surprising that they were able to build some of their own. Unfortunately, however, they apparently have been unsuccessful in their efforts. They reported to the palace guards that the three prototype Saber marionettes that they had built had malfunctioned and gone rogue." 

Lorelei hesitated. "The Kuno's have offered to provide us with pictures and specs we can use to track down these marionettes, and have pledged to pay for any damage caused in their capture, as they are responsible for them getting loose in the first place." Lorelei frowned slightly. "Baiko, could you please escort general Kuno in?" Baiko nodded and got up from her kneeling position to go to the door. 

Otaru blinked. "General? You mean that he's part of the council that took over leadership after the Shogun's death?" He grimaced and was about to go on when Lorelei loudly cleared her throat. "Oh! General Kuno! Thank you for joining us!" Otaru glanced back and spotted the man who Baiko was escorting in the room. 

Otaru went back to paying full attention to Kuno, who had just been rehashing what Lorelei had already told them. Godai Kuno brought out some photos and schematics of his 'missing' marionettes. He gave them to Otaru, who immediately passed all of the technical data to Cherry. The short, purple haired girl poured over the schematics while the other four marionettes crowded around behind him to get a look at the photos. There were three photos, obviously taken before the 'birth' of the missing marionettes. All three were close-ups of the three sleeping on a lab table. Two of the three were pretty normal looking. Both had short black hair, one with a pageboy cut, the other with more of a feminine style. The third picture was of a girl with red hair in a pigtail, quite distinctive. 

Most marionettes in Japoness, unlike his own bunch, had black hair and relatively modest appearances, like the majority of women in the Japan of the past, which Japoness did its best to imitate. Otaru knew his bunch, as well as Baiko and Tamasaburo, were the exceptions with their bright and varied hair colors and styles of dress. 

Lynx, one of Faust's two Saber Dolls that Otaru had been taking care of for the last few weeks, reached over his shoulder to point at the photo of the girl with the pageboy cut. "Her. I saw her on the street earlier today. She was looking us over, examining us pretty thoroughly, I'd say." Lynx looked carefully at the photos a while more, then nodded. "Yes, I'm positive it's her." She smiled. "I like her choice of hairstyles." Lynx ran a hand through her own blue hair straightened her tie, and went over to join Cherry looking over the schematics.

Bloodberry took a careful look at all three photos and swore angrily to herself. "Damn it, we were only a few feet away from her! I remember her now. She was wearing that green and white kimono, right? She just walked right by us! What nerve!" The fierce redheaded marionette shook her head and slapped one fist into the others, letting the large metal studs in her glove smack loudly into the leather palm of its counterpart. "Don't worry Otaru, she won't make a fool of me twice!"

"Yeah!" Enthused Panther, her red translucent eyepatch glinting with an interior light. "If I catch her, I'll slam dunk her in the Japoness Fuji!" 

Otaru gave Bloodberry and Panther a frown, but said nothing. <'I sometimes wonder if my trio is rubbing off on Panther and Lynx more, or if they're picking up bad habits from them. Bloodberry has been a lot more threatening sounding since she buddied up with Panther. Not that I mind her making a friend, but I wish they wouldn't keep trying to top each other.'> 

As Bloodberry and Panther were making their boastful statements, Lorelei glanced at Godai out of the corner of her eye. <'Is it my imagination, or does he look pleased that they're planning on destroying his marionettes?'> Otaru took another good look at the pictures before handing them to Lime, who looked at them with some interest. 

"Otaru?" Lime spoke up for the first time since Kuno had arrived in the room. "Why did they run away? Why would they want to run away from home? I like it at home. Is something wrong with their home?" 

Otaru blinked and turned to the normally playful and cheery marionette. "Lime?" She had her head cocked to the side in confusion, causing the red ball on the side of her bright yellow hat to point downward. Otaru hesitated. <'General' Kuno claims that there is something wrong with his marionettes… but what if Lime's right? What if there's something else going on here?'> Lime was the most innocent and friendly person he knew. Sometimes, however, her most basic questions hit right to the heart of a matter. "I don't know Lime. I guess we'll have to find out." 

Godai Kuno frowned very slightly. There was a slight chance that the malfunctioning marionettes would be allowed to escape, or worse, be treated as if they were real humans, like those owned by that reckless boy, Otaru. If people started thinking of marionettes as human, then all sorts of chaos would result. 

Godai spoke up, clearing his throat. "As I feel responsible for this, I must insist that I help with the efforts to rid our city of this threat. I'll be happy to send half a dozen of my best combat marionettes along with you, to make sure nothing unforeseen goes wrong." He smiled gracefully. <'That way, I can make sure that those three mistakes don't talk to this bleeding heart bunch. Who knows what strange ideas they might come up with?'> 

Otaru simply shook his head. "No, I'm sure we'll be fine on our own. A few extra combatants would just get in the way. The bunch I have are the best, after all." As one, the five he was so casually boasting of glowed with pride. Lime giggled and put her hand behind her head bashfully. Cherry went off into a vivid fantasy about Otaru-sama 'properly' or rather 'improperly', rewarding her, while Bloodberry, Panther, and Lynx just grinned to themselves. 

Lorelei spoke up. "Thank you Kuno-san. I'm sure Otaru will be able to handle everything. We appreciate the offer." The dismissal in her voice was very subtle, but it was there. Baiko stood to escort Godai out, and he bowed and left quietly, although with a slightly angry glimmer in his eye, that again, only Lorelei noticed. When he had gone, Lorelei turned to Otaru. "Otaru-san…." There was considerably more respect in the way she said his name then she had Godai Kuno's. "If you can, don't hurt them. Just find them, and see what's going on. I'm not so sure General Kuno is telling us everything." 

Otaru nodded. "I'm starting to think the same thing, Lorelei." 

***************************** 

Looking down at the meeting going on below them, Ranma and Akane were careful not to make a sound. 

After running out into the palace courtyard, making sure they had been seen, Ranma led Akane out of the palace over the nearest wall, then back around the opposite side, quickly and quietly. They had hid on a rooftop and waited for the commotion to die down. Then, as the last group of guards headed inside, they had slipped over the wall once more. 

"This way," Ranma had confided to Akane, "we'll blend right into the crowd, whatever security system they're using will just see us as two more guards." Akane had been impressed. She normally didn't think of Ranma as very intelligent, but when it came to tactics, he was always surprising her. The plan seemed to have worked. They had snuck after the last group of guards, using every bit of stealth they possessed. Ranma, especially, was skilled at moving without making noise or being seen. 

Akane simply followed the petite redhead, doing her best to imitate her movements. 

As the guards entered the main palace, so did they, slipping inside before the doors could close, and then quickly hiding. After several minutes things had quieted down, and Ranma had led Akane toward the center of the building. When the security had gotten too tight, Ranma had leapt up and opened a roof panel. They had continued on through the spaces between the ceiling and the next floor. 

After what seemed like hours (but was probably only minutes) of creeping around in the cramped space, they reached the area above a large room that Ranma figured to be near the center. Ranma had pulled up one of the ceiling tiles slightly, and they had looked down to see a large and varied group of marionettes, along with two young men, sitting on the floor of what appeared to be a traditional Japanese throne room.

Ranma and Akane were careful to keep their weight only on the supports between the tiles, not on the tiles themselves. They exchanged glances, but made no sound. Ranma pointed down at the room, nodded and put her hand to her ear. Akane nodded back and they both started listening intently to the conversation, while seeing as much as they could through the thin hole Ranma had created by moving the tile. 

There was a current of air running through the ceiling, which made it difficult to hear, but they could make out most of what was being said. One of the marionettes was talking, a feminine looking one with long reddish/blond hair and wearing a checkered shirt and a pair of jeans. Both Akane and Ranma listened intently when they heard her say something about the Kuno's. The marionette was apparently saying something about some prototypes that the Kuno's had lost. Ranma and Akane instantly realized that she was talking about them. 

Apparently, the Kunos had claimed that they had malfunctioned and were running rogue somewhere in the city. When Godai Kuno was escorted in by one of the tall amazonian palace guards, Ranma and Akane shot each other a tense look, then went back to paying full attention. Godai had handed out a bunch of papers and some large photos, which they couldn't quite make out due to the angle and distance. While one marionette went over the paperwork, most of the others gathered around the photographs. 

A blue haired marionette with a hairstyle similar to Nabiki's pointed at one of the photos the young man was holding. She identified the person in it as someone she had seen earlier, and fingered her own hair as if in example. With the description she gave there was little doubt. 

Ranma and Akane glanced at each other and mouthed the same word. "Nabiki." As two of the more warlike looking marionettes started spouting boastful threats toward Nabiki, Akane grabbed Ranma by the shoulder. Ranma glanced up and Akane shook her head toward the way they had come, looking urgent. Ranma winced and nodded down at the group below. Akane grimaced and started crawling as quietly as possible away, not sparing Ranma a second glance. Cursing in her head, Ranma followed her ex-fiancee. 

When they had gotten well out of earshot, Ranma bit out a question. "What are you doing? We still haven't found out where Lorelei is, or what their plan is!" 

Akane glared at the redhead. "They know where Nabiki is, and they're going to throw her in some volcano! Do you want to let them get there first?!?" 

Ranma made shushing motions with her hands. "Of course not Akane… now keep your voice down. I was planning on hearing a bit more about what they had in mind, then stopping them…. But you're right, they might be able to reach Nabiki first if we take too much time getting out through the palace security." 

Akane blinked incredulously. "Did you just say I was right?" 

Ranma rolled her eyes. "I did, didn't I? Well, don't let it go to your head. Now we've got to move fast." 

As they hurried out of the palace, Akane wondered. "Do you think that one of the girls in that room was Lorelei?" 

Ranma shrugged. "Nah, unless she dye's her hair. I mean, what Japanese girl has red or blond hair? Not to mention blue or pink." 

Akane glanced over at her ex-fiancee's scarlet locks and rolled her eyes, but said nothing. 

End Chapter 3 


	5. 4

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru, Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi.

**

Strangers in a Strange Land: Chapter 4

**

Godai Kuno reached his personal car, a "motor-palaquin" complete with all the latest features, still fuming about his abrupt dismissal from the palace hall. 

A grim but determined look came over his features as he started the engine. "Hmph… that marionette said that my Nabiki had walked right past them. If that's right, then…." He switched on the car's automatic pilot and located Otaru Mamiya's apartment, then plotted the shortest course to it. He let the autopilot take over and start driving him along that route while his picked up his portable phone and dialed home. 

When the line was picked up, Godai spoke up immediately. "Yusaku? How are the repairs on the computer coming?" Yusaku's voice came back. "The main's unsalvageable, I'm afraid. I have managed to cobble together a memory and processing upgrade for the backup. We should be able to run at least eight of the Cherry Blossoms at once." 

Godai grunted his acknowledgment. "Good, send them out to my location. I've gotten a possible fix on one of the rogues." 

Yusaku answered after a slight pause. "Are you sure that's wise? You said before that…." 

Godai interrupted. "Just do it. Hopefully we'll be able to deal with them separately. If we don't handle this soon, the matter may well be out of our hands." He gritted his teeth. One way or another, I am getting my property back!" Godai Kuno grinned slightly, reaching into his kimono and patting a small box he had there. "And I just may have what I need to get it." 

************************

Nabiki watched from her rooftop perch as the traffic on the street died to nothing as the last bit of light from the setting sun slowly disappeared and darkness fell. As night came, and the streetlights started to come on, Nabiki looked up at the stars. With a gasp, the girl nearly slipped from her spot beneath the overhang. 

<'What in the world?'> Nabiki's expression turned to wonder. <'Three moons? Three moons?!?'> Nabiki got out from under the overhang to get a better look at the sky. "We'll, there's no doubt about it… I'm not on Earth anymore." 

Nabiki spotted a fourth moon on the horizon and shook her head. <'How many moons does this planet have, anyway? I wonder… how far away are we from Earth? Not only five hundred years, but on a planet I never knew existed before I woke up here.'> She stepped over to the roof's edge, glancing down into the alleyway below. <'I'm starting to get worried. When will Akane and Ranma get back? I hope nothing has happened to them.'> Nabiki noticed a vehicle pull up at the end of the alleyway and stop, and moved back from the edge quickly. <'Why did that car stop? Did someone spot me?'> 

In his motor-palanquin below, a box on his belt started to beep and he hit the brakes, glancing at the buildings around him. <'Somewhere close….'> Quickly he called Yusaku again. "My detector is picking up the emanations from one of the rogue Sabers' modified maiden circuits. If it's working, then one or more of the rogues should be within a few dozen yards." 

Yusaku replied at once. "The Cherry Blossoms are in the area, I'll have them begin a standard search pattern. I've inputted the specs of the escaped prototypes, so they shouldn't have any problem identifying them." 

Godai spoke quickly. "Good, find them, but observe and do not attack, unless it is just one of them alone." He patted the device on his belt. "If the Cherry Blossoms can drive one of them to me, I should be able to deal with it." 

Back on the roof Nabiki heard the faint sounds of running feet across a nearby rooftop and dropped back into the small concealment beneath the roof overhang. Seconds after she did so, a pair of tall marionettes with identical red kimonos and long bisentos ran past, then stopped for a second to look around. Nabiki froze in near panic for a second too long, and one of them spotted her. Its eyes glowed red and the other marionette turned toward Nabiki as well, both of them lowering their spears in her direction. 

Nabiki needed no one to tell her it was time to go. She skittered out from under the overhang and started to run to the left, trying to get away. Another pair of red clad marionettes appeared in her path, jumping up from the alley below, and Nabiki turned again, only to see a third pair coming from that direction as well. Nabiki yelped and ran in the only direction left open to her, toward the street. Nabiki just managed to dodge the Cherry Blossoms coming at her from both sides as she jumped off the roof, bracing herself for a landing in the street below. 

Nabiki landed and was about to run off when she noticed two more Cherry Blossom marionettes standing protectively in front of the vehicle she had spotted earlier. A man was standing next to the vehicle's open door, and she recognized him as Godai Kuno. He pointed a small box at her that looked vaguely like a TV remote control, and Nabiki suddenly found herself dropping to the ground in agony. She screamed as electricity shot through her system and her limbs refused to respond to her wish to run. 

Godai Kuno walked slowly up to her, giving orders to his troops. "Do not approach her until I tell you, or you will be incapacitated as well." He kept pointing the device at Nabiki as he stood over her, watching as Nabiki jerked from the energy randomly emitting from her systems. "Now… where are the others?" 

Nabiki gritted her teeth, barely able to speak. "Don't… know…." She glanced up at him, trying to focus past the pain. "How…?" 

Godai snorted, amused by her question. "A simple device, although quite specialized in its use. I built you. I know all of your weaknesses. This is an electromagnetic pulse gun. While your systems are shielded from most EM radiation, you are susceptible to a directed burst." Nabiki felt her eyes closing, and felt incredibly sleepy. Godai noticed and commented. "Ah yes, your self preservation circuit is kicking in, shutting you down before you suffer permanent damage. Next time we met, my dear, you'll be much improved… I will not make the same mistake again." 

Nabiki growled deep in her throat and fought against the encroaching blackness with every bit of her will. Placing a hand shakily against the ground, she forced herself to her feet. 

<'All I have to do is reach him… and take out that device.'> Nabiki took a staggering step towards Godai, then another, picking up speed. 

The older man stepped back, looking alarmed. "What? Impossible! Quickly! Protect me!" Nabiki's vision was almost gone, and she missed the Cherry Blossoms coming at her in her focus on Godai. She felt a sudden shock to her system, then another, and found herself on the ground suddenly. Nabiki tried to get up again, and noticed that one hand seemed not to be able to find the ground to help her get up. Nabiki brought the offending hand in front of her eyes to see what was wrong. The sight of wires and metal sticking out of the stump of her wrist… and no hand, was her last conscious sight. As everything faded, she could hear the faint sound of Godai yelling in rage. 

Godai looked down in disgust. Two of his Cherry Blossoms had been deactivated when they attacked Nabiki before he could shut off his EMP device. They weren't as well shielded as the Saber models he had constructed Nabiki and the other two from, and now were overloaded. He moved forward, inspecting the damage to the Nabiki marionette. He frowned, and nodded to himself, the damage wasn't too bad, a few hours of work to do the repairs. 

"All right." He stood up, gesturing to two of his Cherry Blossoms. "Put them into the back of my motor-palanquin, and we'll head back to the estate. Hurry!" The combat marionettes obeyed quickly, placing all three fallen marionettes into his vehicle. Godai got in and started the engine, then quickly gunned it, spinning the wheel and driving back in the direction of the Kuno mansion manually. 

***************************

As they jogged along back toward where they had last seen the marionette from the photos, Cherry came to a sudden stop, causing Otaru to pause as well. "Cherry? What is it?" Otaru walked up to the short purple haired marionette, who was staring blankly off to the right. At his words, Bloodberry, Lynx and Panther came to a stop as well, glancing back at them in curiosity. Lime kept going, oblivious to the others' halt, until Bloodberry yelled at her to stop. 

Cherry looked at Otaru, then pointed off in the direction she had been looking. "Otaru-sama… I'm getting a strong electromagnetic signal from that direction. Should we investigate?" 

Lynx gazed in the direction Cherry had pointed, letting her own onboard combat sensors scan for the signal Cherry had detected. She picked it up almost immediately, noticing it fade a few seconds later. "I read it too. It may be something important." 

Otaru nodded, and waved in the direction Cherry had pointed. "All right, lets go!" The group ran off again, just as the panting Hanagata managed to run into sight. 

The effeminate blond haired young man who was Otaru's self professed "true love" (not that Otaru, or any of Otaru's marionettes would agree with him) yelled and waved as he tried to catch up. "Otaru-san! Wait for me! Otaru!" 

In the Kuno mansion's underground facility, Yusaku remotely commanded his house sentries. Since two of the sentries that had gone out to Godai had been disabled, he had the computer activate two more, sending them out to join the group with Godai. Before they got very far, however, he changed his mind, sending them instead to the rooftop that the Cherry Blossoms had first spotted the Nabiki marionette on. Yusaku had the picture from one of the two marionettes' cameras fed onto his computer screen and he watched though the Cherry Blossom's eyes as it hurried back to the site of the rogue's capture. 

************************ 

Ranma swore silently to himself as he and Akane ran, jumping from rooftop to rooftop towards the alley that they had left Nabiki to wait at. <'Damn it. It took too long to sneak out of the palace. If we don't hurry, those other marionettes are going to reach Nabiki before we do!'> The red haired girl didn't have to look back at Akane to know that her ex-fiancee was every bit as worried as she was. The two of them ran on in silence, stopping on the roof of a building across the street from the alley they were headed for. Ranma and Akane both dropped flat on the rooftop, looking down at the group of marionettes that stood there in the street in front of the alley. 

Ranma and Akane both instantly recognized them. "It's them." Ranma muttered quietly. "They beat us here." 

Akane sounded worried. "But where's Nabiki?" The two girls watched the group of marionettes, until Akane spotted one of them, the short one with purple hair, pick something off the street. It was a scrap of green and white cloth, attached too…. "A hand!" Akane whispered in horror. "That's someone's hand!" She shook her head in denial as Ranma took a closer look. "No… it can't be… Nabiki?" 

Ranma shivered in rage. "That's part of her kimono… its Nabiki's…." Her eyes narrowed and she stood abruptly. "That's it. I'm not letting them get away with this." The petite red head took a step forward to the edge of the roof and tensed to leap down. "I've had enough! All of you… ARE DEAD!!!" 

With an incoherent scream Akane jumped up and followed Ranma, revenge the only thing left in her mind, blocking out her grief with anger. 

*********************** 

In their laboratory, Yusaku and Godai sat in front of their backup computer's monitor as Yusaku replayed the footage of the battle the two Cherry Blossoms had witnessed between Otaru Mamiya and his marionettes and Ranma and Akane. 

"A disappointing outcome." Godai commented soberly as the tape finished. 

"Indeed." Yusaku nodded sagely. "Never-the-less, I do believe we have something to work with here." He tapped a few keys. "Why don't we watch it again, and have the computer do a full analysis of the data?" 

Godai nodded, looking interested. "That is an excellent suggestion. Proceed." 

Yusaku typed a few more commands in, then started the recording again, pausing it appropriately as the computer compiled its data for him to interpret. "Here we have Otaru Mamiya's group of marionettes. They came to the site where you recaptured the Nabiki model just a minute or so after you had left. The marionette called "Cherry" was first on the scene, and was first to discover the remains of your brief skirmish with the Nabiki model." The computer zoomed in on a close-up of Cherry holding up the severed hand of Nabiki, still trailing a piece of her green and white kimono. "It is at this point that the Ranma and Akane models attacked Otaru's marionettes." The computer sped the tape to where they could see Ranma and Akane leaping down from the rooftops towards the larger group of marionettes, then focused in on them. 

Yusaku's voice sounded concerned as he went on. "I was not as confident as you in the combat ability of our prototype Sabers, but it seems you were correct. From what we've been able to determine on this tape, our group of Cherry Blossoms would be insufficient to contain them. Attempting to approach them to use the EMP device would seem to also be quite risky, given what you have told me about the Nabiki model's resistance to the device." 

Godai nodded. "The maiden circuit technology enabled her to override her shutdown safety… at least temporarily… and our Nabiki here is not anywhere as lethal as our other two prototypes. But we already have a great deal of data on their capacities. Show me what we have on the others… Ieyasu and Faust created them to be the most advanced on the planet, correct?" 

Yusaku looked back to the screen and typed in a few more commands. "As you like. This is Lime, Otaru Mamiya's first marionette, and Ieyasu's prototype." The screen focused on a medium sized marionette with long bright blue hair. She wore a black body suit under a white shirt with long sleeves that had a lot of extra material, hanging off her arms a bit like small wings. Her yellow hat with its cheerful red ball decoration, and her oversized yellow and red shoes gave her a cheerful, almost childlike appearance. The scene she was in, however, stole all humor from the picture. Lime had her arms up defensively as Ranma charged her. 

"Lime is the original model, and the simplest of Ieyasu's creations. She is physically slightly stronger than either Cherry or Lynx, but slightly weaker than Bloodberry or Panther. Her personality is that of a precocious child… crossed with a puppy. She is probably the least dangerous of the group, unless someone threatens her master, Otaru." 

Yusaku pressed a few more keys, causing another picture to come up. "This is Cherry." The picture of the short, purple haired marionette was of her being attacked by Akane. Cherry looked like a young girl in her pink and white robe, and her large red hair ornaments, and while Akane only looked a few years older in her kimono, the murderous look of rage on her face made her appear a great deal more threatening. 

"Cherry was Ieyasu's second creation, and coincidentally the second marionette that Otaru Mamiya awakened. She was designed with a very sophisticated combat computer and an extremely powerful group of sensors for data collection. While she is slightly smaller and weaker than the others, her battlefield capacity is… was, only second to Bloodberry, because of her ability to anticipate battlefield possibilities and act on those predictions. While her personality is that of a modest housewife, she is most efficient in a combat situation, regardless." Godai nodded in understanding, and Yusaku went on. 

"Bloodberry is probably the most dangerous of Ieyasu's three marionettes. Her strength and speed is the highest of the three, and her combat program is excellent." The monitor changed to a picture of the tall red haired marionette, clad in her red and black halter top (with a large diamond shape cut out of the front to show off her impressive cleavage) and bicycle pants. Her spiked gloves and the way her hair was tied back by a headband gave her a martial appearance, not to mention the fierce look on her face as she swung a ripped up street sign at Ranma's back. Yusaku took a deep breath. "As you can see, Bloodberry is quite innovative in combat. Her personality is quite aggressive and she has shown little restraint in the past when fighting. My advice is to avoid her if possible." 

He tapped some more keys and brought up a new picture. "Lynx is Faust's second prototype, and Cherry's counterpart." The two men took in the picture for a few moments. Lynx was around the same size as Lime, and had dark blue hair in a pageboy cut. She wore a white collared shirt with a red tie, and a short blue skirt slit up the sides for ease of movement. The computer showed her in the middle of throwing a brace of knives at an unseen opponent. "She has a combat computer and sensor suite very comparable with Cherry's, and is programmed with a serious, if suspicious, personality. Her current combat ability I would place lowest of the group, although her potential should not be underestimated. She is quite dangerous at range, and her intelligence gathering ability is not to be discounted." 

Yusaku brought up a new picture, of a tall, short-haired blond with a star-shaped, red, glass eyepatch. "Panther is Faust's final model, and is very similar to Bloodberry in potential. She is the most violent in personality, but like Lynx, has not reached her full potential. I place her just behind Lime in combat ability, although she can be considerably dangerous, due to her violent nature." Panther was shown in mid leap, her right eye (the one covered by the eyepatch) glowing bright red, in preparation for her eye laser to fire. She wore a blue halter-top, covered by an orange vest, as well as a pair of blue jeans. 

Yusaku shrugged and turned to Godai. "Lime's counterpart among Faust's Sabers is Tiger, who is, to all reports, still undergoing repairs by Lorelei. She is not likely to be operable for some time." 

Godai nodded. "A very concise report. And what is your opinion of our two rogue Sabers?" 

Yusaku frowned, going over the battle again, slowing the tape down in parts to catch details. "Frightening. Their physical capacities should be comparable to Otaru's Sabers at the most… but it appears that they are superior to them in almost every way." 

He went silent as they watched the battle a third time, this time in slow motion. Ranma and Akane had charged into battle with great speed, and their surprise attack had Otaru's Saber marionettes on the ropes from the beginning. Despite their greater numbers, the five marionettes could not seem to hit either Ranma or Akane… at least at first. Ranma was an unstoppable whirlwind. Everywhere she went she sent her opponents flying. When they tried to retaliate, the petite red head wasn't there to hit, dodging with incredible speed and agility. Akane seemed to be slower, but was nearly as difficult to hit. She had crashed into Cherry at the beginning of the fight and had begun beating the smaller marionette around like a punching bag, while Ranma kept the other four busy with her hit and run tactics. 

Cherry had been driven into the pavement, while Akane repeatedly hit her with her fists, until there was a flash of electricity and Akane had apparently frozen for several seconds. Panther had taken the opportunity to hit Akane with her eye laser. Ranma had tackled Akane out of the beam before too much damage had been done, and the two of them had retreated. The lone human on the scene, Otaru Mamiya, had been almost ignored. He had tried to knock Akane off of Cherry, but on the way over Ranma had knocked him to the side and into a nearby building. After Ranma and Akane had disappeared onto the rooftops, Yusaku noted with some surprise that Otaru had gotten up and ran back unto the street. 

"That's interesting." Yusaku pointed to the screen. "I'm surprised Otaru is still able to walk after Ranma hit him. She's certainly strong enough to have killed him." 

Godai nodded. "Good point. It seems that Ranma did almost no real damage in that fight. A psychological weakness perhaps?" He pointed at the screen. "The marionette "Cherry", did suffer quite a bit of damage, I see." On the monitor Cherry could be seen, sparks coming from a hole in her chest, one of her arms lying at an odd angle. Otaru ran to her side to check on her and Yusaku turned off the monitor. 

"That was the last of the footage. I sent our Cherry Blossoms after them to see if they could find out where they went, but Ranma and Akane moved too quickly. As for Otaru Mamiya's group, they retreated back to the palace for repairs." 

Godai stood and turned toward the center of the laboratory. "Speaking of repairs…." 

Yusaku followed his line of sight, fixing on the worktable in the center of the room. "Yes… I suppose we should get started." They walked over to the table together and took a good look. Nabiki lay naked on the table. There was a hole through the lower part of her chest where a Cherry Blossom had impaled her. Luckily none of her vital systems had been destroyed. The worst damage was to her left hand, which had been taken off at the wrist. It would have to be replaced from scratch, a job that would take a day at the least, probably more. 

Godai nodded to himself. "I'll get to work on her new programming, if you think you can handle the external repairs?" 

Yusaku grimaced. "I suppose I can manage. Did you want me to do anything specific, besides repairs?" 

Godai nodded slowly. "Yes… while you're at it, you might as well put in that new improvement we designed." 

Yusaku smiled slightly. "I'll be happy to. I can't wait to see how well it works in the field… once you finish properly reprogramming her that is." He yawned. "I hope you don't mind if I start in the morning, Godai-san. It has been a long night." 

Godai shook his head. "No, that's fine, get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." 

***************************

*An hour earlier* 

Otaru looked over at Cherry. "What did you find?" 

Cherry gingerly held up the severed hand of a marionette, still trailing a scrap of green and white cloth. "This…." Everyone went silent in dismay at the sight. Lime looked particularly upset, while Cherry did a good impression of having an upset stomach. "There isn't anything else, I'm afraid, Otaru-sama…." 

Cherry was interrupted by a shout from the rooftops. "All of you… ARE DEAD!!!" Everyone turned to see a pair of marionettes hit the street and charge at them at high velocity. One of the two barreled into Cherry like a freight train, while the other, a petite red head, ran interference. Lime and Bloodberry jumped to Cherry's defense almost immediately, only to be met by the small but angry looking girl with her hair in a pigtail. 

Ranma had sidestepped Bloodberry's powerful forward punch, tapping the aggressive marionette's fist to the side with her palm and accelerating Bloodberry along her path with the other hand, sending Bloodberry flying into a nearby wall. Lime came in swinging, and Ranma was forced to block, parrying Lime's attacks with almost effortless grace. Otaru hadn't really been able to follow the short red head's defense. It had been a bit too fast for him to see properly, but Lime's punches were obviously going wide by a good margin, bringing Lime badly off balance after a short series of exchanges. 

Otaru barely had time to even think about shouting a warning before Lime was blow back by a powerful side kick from the shorter girl, throwing her into Lynx and Panther even as they ran up to help. 

Otaru heard Cherry's panicked scream for help and headed for her, just before hearing a loud "Crack!" which sent him into a worried sprint. Cherry's right arm fell limp and Akane was poised to finish her off. Otaru felt time slow as he rushed to Cherry's side. Panther, Lynx and Lime were busy getting untangled, while Bloodberry was just starting to climb free of the wall that had collapsed on her when she had hit it. He was the only one who could act in time. 

Ranma had belted him with a casual backhand before he could take two steps, Otaru had seen it coming but couldn't block fast enough and found himself flying through the air to slam into the front wall of a nearby restaurant. He shook off the pain even as another horrible cracking sound was followed by a crackle of electricity and a sharp flash. Otaru rose to his feet, seeing Ranma being attacked by Bloodberry, Panther and Lynx simultaneously and somehow dodging their every blow. Lime was standing frozen, staring at Akane who was sitting also frozen, straddled on top of Cherry. Otaru realized that the short-haired marionette, Akane, had most of her hand stuck into Cherry's chest while arcs of electricity jumped from the hole and raced up and down her arm. 

"CHERRY!!!" Otaru screamed and drew his Jitte, (a parrying weapon with a round blade only good for stabbing and an extended hilt meant to catch weapons and break them) and raced towards Cherry. 

Akane started to withdraw her hand, looking like she was in shock, when Panther's trademark laser came down, lancing into her shoulder. Ranma jumped in an instant later and knocked Akane out of the beam's path, carrying Akane twenty feet away before setting her down, just moments later. Ranma turned back to face off with Panther, Bloodberry and Lynx, but suddenly Akane turned and ran, jumping for the rooftops with an incoherent cry. Ranma had turned and followed her. 

Bloodberry and Panther would have followed as well, but Lynx stopped them. "Wait… don't go after them alone. We need to protect master Otaru." With that, she turned back to Otaru, who had reached Cherry's side. 

Otaru dropped to his knees next to Cherry in shock. "Cherry? Cherry? Can you hear me? Cherry… you've got to be all right!" 

Lime came up quietly behind him, her voice very small and frightened. "Otaru… is Cherry going to be all right? You can fix her… can't you?" 

Otaru blinked away his tears and swallowed, not knowing how to answer her. Lime was extremely sensitive about death. She still refused to accept the fact that things died, going into hysterics or running away when the subject was brought up. It had been a touchy subject for her, for all of his marionettes in fact, when Otaru had informed them that living things, including himself, could not simply be repaired if they were damaged. While most of them had at least partially accepted the reality of life, Lime was still not over it. 

Otaru forced himself to take a close look at Cherry, hoping with all his heart that he could give her a positive report. <'Oh god… let Cherry be OK.'> He inspected the damage to the chest first, letting the broken arm go as superficial damage. <'As long as her maiden circuit isn't damaged….'> Closing his eyes, Otaru breathed a long sigh of relief. "It's OK, Lime. Cherry will be fine. Lorelei can fix her as good as new, you'll see." 

Bloodberry came up and knelt down on the other side of Cherry, looking concerned. "How bad is it?" 

Otaru tried to smile reassuringly. "Her maiden circuit is intact. Nothing that can't be fixed." 

The tall red head's shoulders sagged gratefully. "Great! Can we move her? I'll take her back to the palace myself." She frowned angrily. "And then I'm going to find the bitch that did this and twist her head off like a rootbeer." 

Panther growled savagely behind her. "I almost got her! Damn it! If it wasn't for that little red haired girl I'd have cut her in half!" 

Lynx was watching the rooftops carefully. "She was good… too good. I've never seen anything like that before. I'm not sure exactly how she was doing it." She shook her head. "She didn't seem all that much faster than any of us… but I couldn't touch her… none of us could hit her at all." She turned towards Otaru. "She moved a little like you do, Otaru Mamiya. I've always found it amazing how you could survive time and time again back when we were trying to kill you…." She flushed. "I mean… as a human, you're strength and speed is only a fraction of… um…." She broke off, looking sheepish. 

Otaru shook his head. "Never mind, Lynx, that's all in the past. Bloodberry, go ahead and pick Cherry up… carefully, and take her back to the palace. Everyone, we're sticking together, OK? Panther, no going off on your own looking for them." He winced. "We had enough trouble with them when everyone was at full strength. Lets not start another fight while Cherry's out of action." He moved over to Lime, who was looking like she was about to start crying. "Don't worry Lime, Cherry will be fine! Come on, you can help Bloodberry carry her, all right?"

Lime nodded slowly and sniffed to herself. "OK, Otaru." The small group started back toward the palace at a walk. 

Hanagata ran up panting as they turned the first corner. "Otaru! What happened? Did I miss something?" 

************************* 

Ranma chased after her ex-fiancee as Akane ran from rooftop to rooftop in a blind attempt to escape some invisible horror. Seeing the damage that Akane had done to that small marionette, Ranma had a good idea of what exactly Akane was fleeing. Namely, herself. The petite red head poured on the speed, trying to catch up to Akane before the short-haired girl ran into any more trouble. 

By the time Ranma was within arms reach, they had almost reached the city walls. The walls were an impressive structure nearly fifty feet in height, and they appeared to surround the entire city. Only the sheer size of the place had kept them from having seen the walls earlier. Akane stopped in indecision on the nearest rooftop to the walls, long enough for Ranma to grab hold of her. 

Akane spun around, breaking the smaller girl's grip on her shoulder. "Don't touch me!" Akane backed away, fear and pain shrouding her face. 

Ranma hesitated, wanting nothing more than to grab hold of Akane and tell her that everything would be all right. "Akane…." 

The youngest of Soun Tendo's three daughters turned away, facing the city wall again. "Don't… just… just leave me alone… I… I… how could I have…." Akane sank to her knees, head down. "I killed her… it… that marionette. I… I didn't mean too… I just kept seeing Nabiki… I don't know… torn apart… dead… and I kept hitting her… I kept hitting her and I couldn't stop!" 

Ranma moved up behind her ex-fiancee silently, kneeling down behind her. "It was an accident… you just didn't know your own strength, right? And… and we don't know for sure that she's… broken… or dead or nothin… I mean, she's a marionette… a robot like us, right? I bet they can fix her right up… like a toaster or somethin." Ranma paused, looking thoughtful. "Hey, there's no reason for us to think that Nabiki is dead either…. I mean, we didn't see any other pieces, right?" The red haired girl winced. "It looked bad, sure… but maybe she's not hurt too bad. I mean… they built us in the first place… so it makes sense that they can fix us too." 

Akane turned slightly to face Ranma. "Do you think its possible? I… what should I do, Ranma? I… even if they can fix her… that marionette… I did a lot of damage. Maybe… maybe I should just turn myself in." 

Ranma hesitated for only a moment, then shook her head firmly. "No way. We don't know anything about anyone here yet. We gotta learn more before you go and do something like that. Anyway… I'm not going to let you turn yourself in alone. I'm going with ya wherever you go, so if you want to get arrested, then you're taken me down with ya, OK?" 

Akane looked away again. "Maybe… maybe it's for the best. Don't you always say I'm too violent? I… I broke her arm… I knew I did… but I kept hitting her." Akane hung her head, bringing one arm up to her forehead. "Ranma… I'm no good… I'm dangerous. What if… what if I hurt you? I'm so strong now… I could kill someone by mistake! I… I don't know what to think." 

Ranma noted with concern that Akane's left arm was still hanging limply at her side, and leaned forward to investigate more fully. "You aren't going to hurt me, Akane… or anyone else with this arm…." Akane's Kimono had a blackened hole in it near the shoulder, and was cut as if by a torch almost all the way around, leaving the sleeve hanging by only a quarter of the material. Ranma pushed the rent open carefully, so she could examine Akane's arm. "Ah man… this looks pretty bad." 

Akane glanced at her shoulder, seeing the hole in the front of it, with the edges of her skin melted outwards. "Oh… yeah… whatever hit me… I guess it burned right through?" 

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, there's a hole the size of a pencil all the way through your shoulder, and a burn from the hole halfway around your arm. Can you move your arm at all?" 

Akane gritted her teeth and her left shoulder shifted up and around, but her arm didn't move. "I don't think so." She stared at the small hole in fascinated horror. "I guess I'm broken too…." She shook her head. "It hardly seems real. I felt whatever it was hit me… it hurt a lot. But now my arm just seems numb. I can't feel it. I guess… I guess that whatever wiring I have that passes for a nervous system must have gotten hit." Akane turned away. "There's no way I'm getting fixed, anyway. Not unless I do turn myself in. Maybe I should." 

Ranma shook her head again. "No… we'll think of something, Akane. Maybe we can find somebody who knows how to fix marionettes… and get him to fix you up. We gotta try, so don't you go giving up on me. I need your help if we're going to find Nabiki and rescue her. I'm sure now… she's not dead… we would have seen more evidence. They've got her… all we have to do now is find out how has her… and where." 

Akane nodded slowly. "OK… we find Nabiki… I can't let my sister down." She nodded again more firmly. <'And then I'm turning myself in… I couldn't live with myself if I really killed… destroyed… that marionette. One way or another, I'll atone for my crime.'> 

Ranma stood up, looking around. "It's really late, Akane. Maybe we should find some place to hole up for awhile, at least until morning." 

Akane yawned and nodded. "I am a little sleepy, but where can we find to rest?" 

Ranma shrugged and looked around. "What about outside the city somewhere? I'd bet we could find someplace out there…." She glanced at Akane. "Wait a sec… why are we tired? Do robots have to sleep?" 

Akane blinked, then started to look panicked. "Maybe it means we need to recharge? What kind of energy do we need? Do we need a power outlet? I don't think I saw a plug…." 

Ranma blinked. "No, Nabiki said we've got a… matter conversion unit or something… we just have to eat. I guess we should look for some food." 

Akane looked relieved. "That's right. But why are we tired? I'd have guessed we might get hungry, if we need to eat, but tired?" 

Ranma shrugged. "Well, we feel pain, can taste stuff… heck, I can barely tell I'm not in my old body. Maybe we're programmed to feel sleepy too? It makes sense, I think." 

Akane nodded. "I suppose so. That means we have to find some place to sleep, and some food… and someone who can repair my arm." She frowned. "All while we're on the run from the law. This couldn't be any worse could it?" 

Ranma winced. "Akane… don't ask, OK? Anyway, we've had tougher problems than this, right? Pop and me had to scavenge whatever we could when we were going about on our training journey. This isn't all that different. I bet I can find something to eat out there, and someplace to camp out too." 

Akane sighed and nodded. "Alright, lead the way, master woodsman." 

Ranma shrugged. "Make fun all you like… but that does look like a forest there, outside the city." She pointed off to the right. "Those trees look familiar. What do you bet they were transplanted from Earth?"

Akane shook her head. "No bet. Lets get moving then?" 

Hours later, they were a mile into the woods. Ranma had gotten a roaring fire going with her robotic strength, speed, and a couple sticks. Neither of them felt cold, particularly, but the fire did make the darkness much more bearable. Ranma had even been fortunate enough to find a few fruit trees in season, and had picked off a few handfuls of fruit off of each one. The fruit didn't really resemble anything either of them had seen before. One was slightly like a pear, except it came in red and blue, and the other two trees had fruit even less familiar. They were staring at the fruit Ranma had gathered while they sat by the fire. 

Ranma shrugged. "Well… it's not like any of these can actually poison us, right? Nabiki said it really doesn't matter what we eat." 

Akane looked doubtful. "We still get to taste it, you know." 

Ranma chuckled. "It can't be any worse than your cooking." 

Akane's eyes flashed and she raised a hand to hit Ranma, then stopped, looking shocked. "I…. Ranma! I nearly hit you! 

What if I… broke you… too." Akane lowered her hand, looking ashamed. 

Ranma shook her head. "But you didn't." The red head looked slightly embarrassed. "Sorry about what I said. I always am saying something to get you mad." 

Akane sighed. "That isn't any excuse for me hitting you. Ranma… I'm sorry. I've never stopped to listen to you did I? I just got mad." 

Ranma smiled softly. "You never really hurt me, Akane. You wouldn't have hurt that marionette either if you had known your own strength." She lifted one of the strange looking pears. "Anyway… might as well see what this tastes like." She took a bite, chewed, then blew out a breath. "Whoa… hot! Really hot!" She glanced around. "Damn… never any water when you need it." Ranma fanned her mouth. "Whoa… stay away from the blue ones, Akane." She quickly grabbed another of the fruit and tried it. "Ah… that's better." She took another bite and chewed. "Try one of these, Akane. This one isn't half bad!" After finishing off all of the fruit, (except for the blue pears) Ranma settled back against a tree, watching the fire slowly die. Akane sat hunched over the fire, staring into it, and occasionally glancing back at her ex-fiancee furtively. 

Ranma let this go on for half an hour before building up the will to say anything. "Akane… what is it? Is something wrong?"

Akane swallowed then shook her head. Ranma chewed on her lip. "Are you sure? I… if you just want to talk… or something… I'm always here for you Akane. You know that."

Akane nodded, but kept staring into the fire. Hours seemed to pass, but it was probably only minutes later when Akane stood up, crossed over to Ranma, then sat down in front of her, close enough to touch. Ranma remained silent, to frightened to make a move that would shatter the moment. Slowly, Akane let herself fall backwards, until Ranma's body supported her. Hesitantly, Ranma slowly put her arms around Akane, holding her from behind, and resting her chin on the top of Akane's head. They stayed that way for what seemed like hours, until they both fell asleep.

*********************** 

The next morning, back at the imperial Palace of Japoness, Lorelei, Otaru, and Lynx were going over the data that Lynx had recorded in the fight with Ranma and Akane. Cherry lay in a capsule behind them in Lorelei's lab, her external damage repaired. Her systems were undergoing a reboot to clear any minor glitches she might have picked up from the overload. They had watched it through twice already, and Lynx was playing it again, this time in slow motion. "Something still bothers me about that fight." The blue haired marionette said, frowning. Something about how that short red head moved was strange."

Otaru watched the screen. "I don't see anything odd. She's doing a classic Aikido style evasion right here… now she's switched to a Tai Chi block… See? When she blocked you and threw you into Bloodberry here? And here… that's kenpo… I think… when she's doing that jump kick." Otaru shrugged again. "She's a really good martial artist, that make sense. That's how she was able to beat all of you." Otaru nodded to himself. "You know, looking at this tape, I can see you all could use a little time learning some refinements on your martial arts yourselves. I never saw you fighting in slow motion before, or I might have noticed it earlier. You're all really fast, but your form could use some work."

Lynx looked interested. "What would you recommend?"

Otaru scratched his chin. "I suppose I could teach you… but my Sensei, Master Soemon is really the guy that could help. He's the best martial artist in all Japoness." 

Lynx frowned. "Didn't Lime knock him out once?" 

Otaru shrugged. "Hey… he's really good, but you are all six times faster than any normal human. Form and technique only goes so far."

Lorelei listened politely while the two of them talked. Something was bothering her, however, something that Otaru had said had struck a bell, but she couldn't think of it. 

She yawned hugely. "We've been at this all night. Now that Cherry's repairs are finished, I think we could all use some sleep." 

Otaru nodded, yawning in response. "Yeah… now that you mention it, I haven't slept in almost thirty hours. I'll go check on the others, and hit the hay. Goodnight Lorelei." 

Lorelei nodded sleepily. "Goodnight… or rather good morning, Otaru-san. I will see you in eight hours or so… after we have both gotten a few more hours sleep. We can puzzle this all out when we're all a little more awake." She stretched. "Tamasaburo and Baiko can take you to the guest quarters. The others are all there, and you're welcome to stay for as long as you wish." 

Otaru stood to go followed by Lynx. "Thank you, Lorelei. Goodnight." 

Lorelei watched them go, then got up herself, heading for her own bed. <'It was all so very strange.'> The only living human female on the planet mused. <'Cherry finds the severed hand of a marionette… and then those two attacked. They sounded… furious. Why? Why did they attack? Did they know Otaru and his marionettes were searching for them? How could they?'> Lorelei continued to think as she got to her room and started to get undressed. <'That hand… it was of quite high quality manufacture. Probably a Saber marionette. Perhaps it belonged to the third of the Kuno's three rogue marionettes? But why was it there, and why did those two marionettes attack?'> 

Lorelei finished undressing and pulled on a nightgown. <'Bloodberry seemed to think that they were attacking out of vengeance. It's possible they thought Lime and the others had destroyed one of them… but that would indicate conscious thought, a rational decision making process. Godai Kuno said that they were malfunctioning, gone rogue. What if they're actually functioning perfectly? Rage is a very human emotion after all. Their maiden circuits may be working perfectly…. What haven't the Kuno's told us?'> 

Lorelei's eyes closed as her head hit the pillow, and she fell asleep instantly. 

End Chapter 4 


	6. 5

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru, Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi 

**

Strangers in a Strange Land Chapter 5 

**

Ranma woke with the early morning's light shining into her eyes. She blinked blearily and started to reach up with a hand to block the sun's rays when she noticed the warm body laying half on, half off her. Sometime during the night, Akane had turned over and was hugging Ranma with her good arm, cuddling up against her. Akane's face was away from the sun and she shifted slightly at Ranma's movement, but didn't wake. 

Ranma froze, panicking at first. <'When did we...? We didn't...?'> Ranma started breathing again as the previous days events came back too her. <'Oh yeah,'> Ranma remembered dourly. <'We're on another planet, five hundred years in the future, and we're on the run because we're not human anymore, but robots of some sort... Marionettes. Oh, not to mention Nabiki being missing, and Akane nearly destroying a Marionette... and needing to get her arm repaired and....'> 

Ranma sighed quietly to herself. <'Forget what I told Akane about being in worse situations before. This is way beyond anything I've had to deal with before this.'> Ranma slowly sat up and carefully started to try to move Akane off of her without waking her up. Akane sighed and blinked her eyes open even as Ranma was starting to lift her up. 

The youngest of the three Tendo sisters blinked, feeling herself being lifted slowly, and glanced up into Ranma's face. Akane started in surprise, and a host of emotions ran over her face, shock, anger, memory, remorse, and then embarrassment. 

Akane's face flushed as she stared Ranma in the eyes from inches away. "Oh! Ranma... um... good morning." She glanced away self-consciously and Ranma hurriedly lowered Akane to the side and off of her. Akane turned over into a sitting position, hampered somewhat by her still immobile arm. 

Ranma noticed the problem and spoke up quickly, jumping at a chance to break the tension. "Does it hurt, Akane? Are you OK?" 

Akane shook her head, moving her broken arm's shoulder experimentally. "No, it hasn't changed. I still can't feel it, or move it. Actually, I kind of wish it did hurt... at least then I'd know it was real...." She shook her head. "It's hard to remember sometimes... that we're robots, I mean. I feel so... normal." Akane glanced at her broken arm. "Most of the time." 

Ranma winced again. "I understand. Don't worry, Akane, we'll get your arm fixed up, I promise." 

Akane smiled slightly. "Don't go making promises you can't keep, Ranma. That's how you get into so much trouble." 

Ranma frowned. "Hey! I don't go around promising nothing I won't keep to.... Pop is responsible for making all those stupid promises, not me!" 

Akane looked thoughtful. "Really? Engaging you two four different women wasn't your idea? I thought that would be any guy's fantasy." 

Ranma blinked. "No way! That was most of the trouble! I would never...." 

Akane laughed. "I was just teasing you, Ranma. Anyway, that's all ancient history now, right? That all happened five hundred years ago." 

Ranma sobered. "Yeah... no more engagements to worry about... no more curse... just a whole mess of new problems." 

Akane sobered as well. "Nabiki.... Ranma, how are we going to find her?" 

Ranma looked thoughtful. "Well, we know where those Marionettes that had her hand came from, so we've got a place to check first, but before we go back to the palace, we gotta get your arm looked at. There's gotta be a doctor... or a Marionette repairman or something we can find." 

Akane nodded, looking hopeful. "So we go back into town?" 

Ranma hesitated. "No....I'm going alone. Akane, no offense but you're not at your best right now. If we got into trouble I'd just have to look out for you. I'll go myself and find out where you need to go." 

Akane's eyes lit up in anger for a moment, and Ranma could see her visibly calming herself down. "Ranma.... OK, you're right, I admit it." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm worthless to you like this." 

Ranma looked worried. "Akane... I'm...." 

Akane shook her head, forcing a smile. "Go ahead. I'll be fine. Find me a doctor, or whatever, and then we can rescue Nabiki together." 

Ranma nodded. "Right. I'll be back as soon as I can Akane, don't worry. Wait here for me." The red haired marionette shrugged. "It may take some time, but I'll come back by next morning at the latest, no matter what I find." 

Akane glanced around the small clearing. "I'll be here, waiting. Don't get yourself hurt, Ranma. No heroics this time, OK?" 

Ranma snorted. "Hey, I never lose, right? I'll be fine." She turned to go, then hesitated, glancing back at her ex-fiancee. "Um...." 

Akane held her breath, waiting for Ranma to speak, but the red head seemed to be having difficulty forming words. "Yes, Ranma, what is it?" 

Ranma sputtered a bit, looking embarrassed. "Um... about last night...." 

Akane blushed, remembering falling asleep in Ranma's arms. "Yes?" 

Ranma swallowed. "Um... it... it was... nice." The red head shook slightly, then ran off, leaving Akane standing dumbfounded in the small clearing. 

Akane stood still for several long seconds until Ranma was well out of sight, then her face lit up with renewed rage. "Why that... idiot! How can he... she say something like that and just run off!" She glowered. "Just you wait until you get back here Ranma... just you wait." Akane's anger dissolved almost as fast as it had appeared. "Just as long as you get back, Ranma. Please, come back safe." 

**************************** 

Ranma made her way to the city stealthily, avoiding the paths and roads. Getting over the wall was a challenge, but she was able to barely reach the top with a full power leap. Ranma pulled herself on top of the wall and looked around carefully, noticing a guard a hundred yards away, she waited until he was looking in a completely opposite direction before jumping down to the ground below and sneaking off. 

Ranma began moving through town, keeping out of sight by bounding from rooftop to rooftop. She couldn't move quickly, there were too many people on the street to avoid being spotted, so she had to take her time, only moving when no one was looking in her direction. It wasn't easy, but Ranma kept her patience, and kept moving slowly but surely through town, looking for some one that could repair Akane. 

"I'm not really sure what I'm looking for." Ranma groused after several hours of fruitless search. "I mean, I'm not looking for a doctor's office... what do you call a marionette repair man anyway?" Ranma kept looking, checking the signs on buildings unsuccessfully for one that would be helpful. Ranma sat down as it was coming around to the afternoon and tried to think. "OK, how did Nabiki find out where we needed to go?" After several moments, she remembered. "Oh yeah! Nabiki found a library... she said she read some newspaper articles about Lorelei.... That would work. I can look in the classifieds or something...." Ranma started looking around for a newspaper, and before long she spotted part of one lying in the entrance to an alley. 

She jumped down and grabbed it when no one was looking, then jumped back up to the rooftops and sat down to read. "OK, classifieds, classifieds.... Hey, one of the marionettes we saw in the palace is on the front page!" Ranma read the copy. "Lorelei to reopen Japoness Pioneer Museum...." The red head blinked. "That was Lorelei? Damn! We were right next to her in the palace and we never realized it!" Ranma thought about it. "I bet Lorelei could fix Akane... and she might even know where Nabiki is. I've just got to go grab her, and make her fix Akane." 

Ranma nodded to herself and started heading for the palace determinedly. An hour later, she had reached a building a block away from the palace and was trying to think of a way to get inside without being noticed. 

"I don't want to start another panic." Ranma decided. "If their guard is up then it'll be a lot harder to get out of the palace with Lorelei. I've got to wait until someone else is going into the palace, and sneak in with them, like we did with the guards last time." That decided, Ranma moved around to a vantage point where she could watch the front gate without being spotted, and sat down to wait. 

Hours passed before Ranma found her opportunity to enter the palace unobserved. A particular looking car pulled up to the front gates and Ranma jumped down and stealthily followed it inside when the gates were opened to let it drive in. She was careful not to get too close and broke away from the vehicle as it neared the front of the main building inside the compound. A number of guards opened the palace doors and Ranma took the opportunity to slip in past them, using the special technique his father had invented, the "silent thief." It was an original but very apt name for a group of techniques that Genma Saotome had created for breaking into houses. The counter technique that Genma had invented, the "noisy thief" was one of the most dangerous and lethal martial arts techniques Ranma knew. Designed to destroy entire buildings, Ranma had sworn never to use the "noisy thief" technique unless in the most dire emergency. 

Still, while Ranma didn't approve of her old man's larcenous tendencies, she had to admit that he was a truly skilled martial artist. Using Genma's stealth technique, Ranma was able to make her way to the ventilation system again with no one noticing her. 

Ranma had been crawling around in the air shafts for what seemed like hours with no success, going from grate to grate, looking everywhere she could think of for Lorelei. A delicious aroma caught Ranma's attention, reminding the red haired marionette that she hadn't eaten in almost a day. Ranma's stomach didn't growl, but she still felt ravenous, and headed for the smell of the food. 

Ranma sniffed thoughtfully as she headed in the direction of the smell. Miso soup? I wonder who it's for? Ranma blinked. Maybe it's for Lorelei! I can just follow the smell right to her. Ranma followed her nose, and indeed, the willowy, beautiful young woman was getting ready for dinner when Ranma finally found her in the Palace kitchen. As she usually did this time of day, Lorelei had dismissed the palace's marionettes and was fixing herself a meal. Ranma's mouth watered at the appetizing aroma, but she forced herself to concentrate on the task ahead. Ranma ripped the grate above the large kitchen stove off and jumped down still holding it. 

Lorelei's eyes went wide and she started to speak. "Who...?" 

Ranma moved like lightning, dropping the grate with a clatter, she rushed over and covered Lorelei's mouth with her hand. "Shhh. Be quiet, or else." Ranma's mind asked sarcastically, <'Or else what? Its not like you're going to hurt her.'> Ranma shot back instantly to that. <'Oh yeah? At least she doesn't know that.'> Lorelei froze, intimidated by the red head's speed, and Ranma slowly lowered her hand. "OK, quietly, tell me if there are any guards nearby." 

Lorelei hesitated, then shook her head. "No.... I'm alone. What do you want with me?" 

Ranma looked the strawberry blond haired scientist in the eyes. "You're Lorelei, right?" 

Lorelei nodded, calming down. "Yes. You've been trying to get to me for two days now, haven't you? Why?" There was something about this marionette that made her curious instead of frightened, Lorelei remembered the recording of Otaru and his marionette's fight against the petite red head in front of her. She hadn't done any damage in the fight, despite her obviously greater skill. Something told Lorelei that she wasn't in any immediate danger. 

Ranma nodded. "We were, until you sent your guards out to catch us." She looked angry all of a sudden. "What have you done with Nabiki?" 

Lorelei blinked. "Nabiki? Who is that?" 

Ranma's eyes narrowed dangerously. "She was with me and Akane before... your guards must have told you. She's got short brown hair, and was wearing a green kimono." 

Lorelei thought furiously. "So Akane is the marionette with short black hair?" Lorelei's eyes widened. "Nabiki... a green kimono... Cherry found...." 

Ranma took a threatening step toward Lorelei, genuinely angry now. "Where is she!" She hissed the last word loudly, remembering to keep her voice down at the last second. 

Lorelei shook her head quickly, looking frightened. "Cherry only found a hand... I swear I don't know where... Nabiki is." 

Ranma looked into the woman's eyes and saw no deception there, only fear. "I see." She sighed heavily, her face becoming bleak. 

Lorelei's fear started to fade again as the small marionette in front of her visibly went from anger to worry. Such a range of emotion. This marionette's maiden circuit is incredibly advanced! She's worried about her friend.... Lorelei blinked at her own thoughts. Friend, yes. She's worried about this Nabiki very much. She's acting in a completely human manner. 

Ranma shook her head, focusing on Lorelei again. "Never mind. You've got to come with me." 

Lorelei took a step back, suddenly frightened again. "Why? I told you I don't know where your friend is! I'm not your enemy, I promise...." Lorelei found to her surprise that she meant it. 

Ranma reached out and lightly grabbed Lorelei's arm. "I'm sorry, but you've gotta come with me. I need your help." 

Lorelei didn't struggle, knowing the futility of fighting against the robotic strength of a marionette. "Why do you need me? How can I help you?" 

Ranma paused, thinking. I guess she'll need a tool kit or something.... "OK, I need you to repair Akane. Her arm is broken, and I want you to fix it." 

Lorelei blinked, then took a long, thoughtful look at the petite red head in front of her. The marionette was about as far from threatening in appearance as a person could get. Wearing an oversized man's shirt, she appeared to be just out of puberty, wafishly attractive, and anything but dangerous. Appearances were meaningless, of course, when dealing with marionettes, but there was something there that made Lorelei believe her. 

"All right." Lorelei said calmly, no longer even the slightest bit afraid. "I'll help you." She smiled slightly. "I'll need to get some tools. It would be better if we could get your friend... Akane, into my lab, but I suppose that's out of the question." 

Ranma blinked. "Um... yeah. I don't think that would work." 

Lorelei looked her captor in the eyes. "What is your name, if I may ask?" 

The red head looked surprised. "Me? I'm Ranma, Ranma Saotome." 

Lorelei filed that for later, and reached over and patted the hand that held her left arm. "You don't have to hold me. I promise I won't run." 

Ranma hesitated, then released her. "All right, I'll trust you." 

Lorelei smiled. "Thank you, Ranma. My tools are in my lab. We might run into some guards if we go get them, I'm afraid." 

Ranma looked determined. "It doesn't matter. We're going to get them, and go fix Akane. I don't care how many guards I've got to deal with to do it." 

Lorelei nodded. "I understand. Perhaps I can think of another way?" She's not bluffing. From seeing her in action, Ranma really could walk right though the palace guards. Only Otaru's marionettes have a chance of stopping her... and I don't want to stop her! Lorelei suddenly froze in realization. "Ranma, why do you have a last name?" 

Ranma was broken out of her own thoughts about how to get Lorelei's tools. "Eh? A last name? It's my family name of course. Everyone has a last name." 

Lorelei shook her head. "No marionette has a last name. At least not yet. Why do you?" 

Ranma shook her head, confused. "Why do I...? It's my name, OK? Ranma Saotome, just like my mom and dad. I guess I'm the last Saotome... unless mom and dad had another kid after I...." Ranma looked confused. "Wait, I didn't die... well I did... but Kuno's machine didn't kill me... just copied my memories... so maybe Akane and I had kids." 

Lorelei was looking more and more confused as well. "I don't understand. Your mom and dad? There's never been a mother on this planet since it began... did the Kuno's create a fictional past for you?" Lorelei shook her head. "I don't understand." 

Ranma glanced over at her. "Oh... well its kinda complicated. The Kunos... your Kunos, made me, Akane, and Nabiki, right? Well, to do it, they used the memories that Kuno... the Kuno from five hundred years ago, got from the three of us, using this machine he got from some crazy scientist called Iago...." 

Lorelei interrupted, looking shocked. "Iago? Iago Ikari, the famous scientist? The man who revolutionized computer storage capacity? He claimed he could store everything in a human brain... but he was discredited after he died in a lab accident." Lorelei shook her head in bewilderment. "But he did it? He stored your memories in a computer?" 

Ranma blinked. "Um... yeah. I'm here, right? Anyway, the Kunos... your Kunos, apparently had our memories... and they woke us up. Only... they wanted us to be some kinda slaves! I'm grateful for them bringing me to life... I guess, but I ain't nobody's concu... concu...." 

Lorelei guessed. "Concubine?" 

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, one of those. Anyway, they were going to reprogram us to do whatever they wanted... so we left." Lorelei nodded, her eyes dark with anger. "I understand. I really do understand. I promise I'll help you. We won't let the Kunos get you back, I promise you that." 

Godai Kuno's voice came from outside the kitchen, surprising both of them. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Miss Lorelei." Ranma and Lorelei spun to face him, but before Ranma could do anything else, she was racked by a horrible jolt, and went down, limbs flailing out of control. 

Lorelei spotted the fist-sized device that Godai was using on Ranma and immediately guessed what it was. "An EMP caster? What are you going to do with her?" 

Godai shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid it's not what I'm going to do with her, but what I'm going to have to do with you, Miss Lorelei, that you should be concerning yourself with." He nodded to his left and a marionette in a green kimono and short brown hair stepped into view. "Nabiki, capture Lorelei for me." 

The brown haired marionette stepped forward obediently. "Yes master." 

************************************ 

Nabiki woke up, finding herself feeling an intense deja vu. She was in the same place she had woken up the day before. The only difference was that this time she couldn't bring herself to move. 

"Nabiki, get off the table and stand up please." Nabiki found herself doing so before she could think. In a moment she found herself standing in front of the speaker, Godai Kuno. Belatedly, Nabiki realized that she was naked, but again found herself unable to act as she wished. Instead of covering herself up, she just continued to stand. Nabiki couldn't seem to even blush or close her eyes. Her gaze rested firmly on Godai's face. 

Godai walked around her once, inspecting her while Nabiki struggled inside her head. As far as she could tell, she had lost all control over her body's actions. When the older man finished his inspection he turned to face her, then nodded to a pile of clothing on a nearby table. "Get dressed." 

Nabiki rushed to obey, and found motion restored to her. The sensation was an incredible relief, and Nabiki got dressed quickly... then found herself standing paralyzed again. "Come over here." Godai commanded, and Nabiki turned t face him, then tried to stop, refuse his command, but to no avail. Her body kept moving, except now she was no longer in control of it. Nabiki found herself moving entirely against her will, and she was powerless to do anything about it. 

Godai waited for her to reach him and looked into her eyes enquiringly. "So, how do you like your new program, Nabiki?" Nabiki frowned, not speaking, and Godai smiled. "I see that you've discovered the fact that you no longer have control of your body... unless you are following my instructions." He shrugged. "The command protocols I inserted are quite sophisticated, but they cannot express an opinion... which you can." 

Nabiki spoke. "My opinion isn't fit for human ears... but for you I'll make an exception...." "Shh." Godai put his finger to his lips. "It wouldn't do to hear such words from such an exquisite creation as you, my dear. Keep your words polite, or do not speak." 

Nabiki glared at him, finding that his command did keep her from expressing anything "not polite" through her words, but didn't restrict her expression. "Turn it off." Nabiki said finally. "I'll do what you want, just turn it off." 

Godai shook his head. "I think not. I do not wish a repeat of your earlier actions. You are my property, and you will remain my property." He turned towards the stairs. "Come with me, I have a few tests to perform." 

Nabiki found herself following along after him as Kuno left the lab and went up the long flight of stairs. Almost immediately, she surrendered, and started walking after him on her own. The regained control of her body was intoxicating, a vast improvement over paralysation, or having her body controlled by someone else. Before long, they reached the courtyard and stopped. Nabiki found that she retained control of her body as long as she obeyed Kuno's instructions to the letter, following him or even standing still was under her control. 

There was a vast difference even, in standing motionless purposefully, than being simply unable to move. Nabiki had never thought of herself as a hedonist, but the lack of sensation when she was not in control of herself was rapidly becoming unbearable. 

There was a pair of Cherry Blossom marionettes in the courtyard, and Godai Kuno pointed to them. "I want you to fight these marionettes, now." 

Nabiki hesitated, then found herself moving forward towards the marionettes against her will. The Cherry Blossoms readied their weapons as she moved close, and Nabiki fought down a wave of panic. Don't freeze up now girl! Kuno's already proven that the automatic pilot or whatever that is controlling me isn't as good at using this body as I am... so I've got to take over, or get skewered! 

Nabiki thought about blocking one of the marionettes spear thrusts, and found herself in control of her body once again. Rapidly however she found herself on the defensive. Oh no! It's been too long since I practiced. I haven't done any real martial arts since I was a kid.... Nabiki didn't have anymore time for thought as she retreated quickly, barely avoiding being struck by the Cherry Blossom's weapons. This body is plenty fast and strong... but I just don't have the moves.... 

Godai's voice rang out. "Nabiki, begin combat protocols level one!" Suddenly Nabiki found herself fighting back again, only her body was once again out of her control. She watched in horrified fascination as she spun through the Cherry Blossoms defenses like they weren't moving, and knocked them both off their feet. Grabbing a spear away, and snapping the second one's weapon with a snap kick, Nabiki's body was about to finish the fight when Godai shouted again. "Halt!" 

Both she and the two Cherry Blossoms stopped moving at his command. The older man nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent, the program works perfectly. Nabiki, come to me." 

Nabiki obeyed immediately, not wanting to lose control of her body again. She spoke accusingly. "I know that style, those moves... Those were Ranma's moves, I was using the Saotome style of Anything Goes style of Martial Arts." 

Godai nodded, looking extremely smug. "The program is of my own invention. Thanks to Professor Iago's data, and my technology and know-how, I have produced to most powerful combat program yet developed. As a grandmaster of the Anything Goes style, I chose Ranma Saotome to emulate for the program." His eyes gleamed. "As of now, only a Saber Marionette such as yourself had the capacity to handle such a sophisticated program... but as we speak, Yusaku is upgrading the capacity on several of our Cherry Blossoms. Before long, my marionettes will be the most powerful in the world." 

Nabiki tried to keep from laughing. "Aren't you being a bit... megalomaniacal?" 

Godai frowned. "I'm getting tired of your attitude. From now on, keep your opinions too yourself unless I ask you for them... and address me properly. I am your master, and you will address me as such." 

"Yes Master." Nabiki found herself answering immediately. 

Godai nodded. "Very good. Now, we do not have much time to waste. Come with me." Once again Godai started off, and Nabiki hurried to follow, seething with anger and trying not to let the hopelessness of her situation overwhelm her. Before long she found herself with Godai in an odd vehicle apparently called a 'Motor Palanquin' and headed for the Japoness Imperial palace. Two of the Cherry Blossoms accompanied them. The vehicle drove there automatically, and on their arrival the gates were opened with no questions, and then the main palace entrance as well. 

Godai lead her and the two Cherry Blossoms inside, and took them to the main palace security room. There were a pair of marionettes outside of it. Godai pulled out the small device he had used on Nabiki earlier and pointed it at them. A moment later they fell over, jerking and sparking. He got out another small electronic device and put it on the door lock. Seconds later the door slid open. 

Godai nodded to the marionettes. "Bring them in here. The pulse will have wiped out their short-term memories. They aren't as well shielded as a Saber model." The two Cherry Blossoms did as he commanded, and Godai closed the door behind his little group. "There, we should now have access to all the security systems in the palace." He popped a computer disk of some kind into the control panel and started typing in commands. Before long a picture of the inside of the main palace appeared, with a number of glowing dots on it. 

"Now, all I have to do is identify Lorelei's position. The men of Japoness have been ordered about by a woman for the last time." Godai nodded at a point on the screen. "That's her. It's the only human on that level of the palace, which is near her private chambers." He frowned. "From this I can read one marionette in the area with her... and its not one of the palace sentries, all of those are accounted for...." He spun away, heading for the door. "Come, we must hurry." 

Nabiki and the Cherry Blossom Marionettes followed immediately after him, winding their way through the palace quickly, taking a circuitous route to avoid sentries. 

Godai gloated slightly as they hurried along. "I've taken over most of the palace security with a specially tailored computer virus I designed myself. Once Lorelei is dealt with, power will be restored to its rightful place, in the hands of intelligent men." Nabiki glared at his back, raging silently. In the hands of an egotistical chauvinist pig you mean. The control program kept her from speaking, but her thoughts, at least, were still her own. 

As they rounded the final corner, Nabiki could hear two women quietly talking, and one of them was Ranma! She sighed in relief. Ranma will save me. He... she always manages to save the day in the end. And she's with Lorelei! Ha, Godai, what are you going to do now? 

Godai heard the voices as well and frowned. He strode to the door to the kitchen just as Lorelei voice raised in anger. "I understand. I really do understand. I promise I'll help you. We won't let the Kunos get you back, I promise you that." Godai interrupted, clearing his throat for emphasis. . "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Miss Lorelei." He brought a small device out of his pocket and pointed it at Ranma, and the red head went down instantly, limbs thrashing. 

Nabiki felt a slight tinge even standing behind Godai and winced. <'Oh no! That thing again! How can Ranma fight if I she can't even stand up? Ranma... come on, get up... you can do this!'>

Lorelei looked shocked. "An EMP caster? What are you going to do with her?" 

Godai shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid it's not what I'm going to do with her, but what I'm going to have to do with you, Miss Lorelei, that you should be concerning yourself with." He nodded to Nabiki and she stepped forward against her will. "Nabiki, capture Lorelei for me." 

Nabiki found herself answering automatically. "Yes Master." Her body once again out of her control, Nabiki stepped forward to do her master's bidding. 

Lorelei stepped back but Nabiki was on her in a flash, pinning her arms behind her. <'That combat program is still on.'> Nabiki realized. <'There's nothing I can do!'> Nabiki pressed a spot on Lorelei's neck with precisely calculated force and after a few seconds Lorelei fainted dead away in her arms. 

Nabiki cradled the woman carefully in her arms, finding herself temporarily back in control of her body. She suddenly noted with a surge of hope, that Ranma had managed to get to her feet, and was headed for Godai. <'Come on, Ranma, get the box!'> 

Godai stepped back; keeping his device firmly pointed at Ranma. "What's wrong with this thing? I increased its output by fifty percent... it should be working." He waved to Nabiki. "Hurry up, get away from there and get behind me with Lorelei." Nabiki found herself obeying automatically for a moment before she resisted the command. No! What am I doing? I can't help him kidnap Lorelei. Her inner protest was unheard as her body continued to follow Godai's instructions, carrying the woman out of the kitchen and around behind Godai Kuno. He continued to back up as Ranma came for him. 

"Damn." Godai looked extremely annoyed. "I wanted to get the Ranma marionette back as well... drop, damn it, drop! You should be shutting down by now!" Running footsteps interrupted him. "Now what? Guards? No more time." He hurried down the hall, stopping at a panel at the corner. "Hmm, there should be a passageway... here." Godai pushed a spot on the wall, which promptly caused a ten by six section of it to open up. "Hurry, go through here. I can't be seen here." 

Godai kept his EMP caster on Ranma until all three of his marionettes were through the wall then. "I suppose I'll let you take the blame for this. Convenient, isn't it?" He closed the passage behind him just as Otaru and several of his marionettes rounded the corner heading for the kitchen. 

Ranma felt full control of his body returning slowly as the group of marionettes came into view. The one in the lead was the same marionette that Akane had damaged the day before. 

"I'm sure the signal is coming from the kitchen area." Cherry explained as she led the way through the palace. "It's the same signal I noticed before those two rogue marionettes attacked us, Otaru-sama." 

Otaru nodded. "Well, I'm just glad you're back on your feet again, Cherry. I don't know what we'd do without you." 

Cherry smiled happily at the praise, then went back to leading the group through the corridors. "Not much farther...." They rounded the corner to the kitchen and spotted a familiar looking red haired marionette wearing a man's shirt. 

Panther went after her in a rush. "It's her! I'm going to tear her head off!" Bloodberry followed right after, a violent grin on her face. "I'm going to get you for making me look bad in front of Otaru." She promised quietly. 

Ranma's eyes went wide and she turned to run, still feeling the effects of whatever Godai Kuno had been zapping her with. Oh man, I'm in trouble! They want to kill me now... what about when they find out Lorelei's gone? I've got to get out of here! Ranma's thoughts became increasingly desperate as Panther and Bloodberry closed the gap between them and her. I'm still woozy from whatever Kuno did... I can't fight them all like this! 

Otaru watched the trio sprint off in dismay. "Lime, go after them, try to capture her intact." Lynx, Cherry, find out where they're going and head them off. We need some answers!" 

Lime raced off with a cherry nod. "OK!" Cherry and Lynx began quickly scanning and Otaru started to run off. 

Cherry hesitated. "What are you doing, Otaru-sama?" 

Otaru glanced back, not stopping. "I'm going to check on Lorelei! Now hurry?" 

Cherry nodded, going back to her work. "They're headed for the main gate. We can still cut them off if we hurry." She was already running in mid word, Lynx a step behind her. 

"I concur." The blue haired marionette replied softly. "But where are the other two rogues?" 

Cherry shook her head helplessly but didn't answer, the two of them running in silence. 

********************** 

end of chapter 5 


	7. 6

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru, Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi 

**Strangers in a Strange Land Chapter 6 **

Ranma crashed through a paper wall, Panther and Bloodberry on top of her. Using a leverage move, Ranma pinned one of Panther's arms and slipped out from under her, using the tall blond to knock Bloodberry aside as well. Bloodberry held on grimly, getting a firm hold in the flowing material of Ranma's oversized shirt. 

Ranma managed to get to her feet and spotted Lime running quickly up. Improvising quickly, the petite red head shoved Panther in Lime's direction and tore free of Bloodberry's grasp. The taller red haired amazon fell back as Ranma escaped, once again running down the corridor. 

Bloodberry swore, immediately taking up the chase again, Lime and Panther right behind. "Damn, I almost had her!" 

Lime giggled. "You got her shirt!" 

Bloodberry glanced at the shirt still firmly held in her right hand as she ran. "That's one determined marionette." The shirt was torn open in front where the petite red head had pulled free of it in order to escape. Bloodberry dropped the rag and picked up speed, more determined than ever to catch the rogue. 

Ranma ran past a pair of human guards, who boggled at her incredulously, long enough for her to slip past them unopposed. "Ha!" She taunted. "Never seen a naked girl before?" She glanced down at herself. "Well, almost naked. I've got to find some clothes...." She glanced back at Panther, Lime and Bloodberry racing up the corridor behind her. "Well, after I get away." 

Ranma raced past a second pair of guards, and then a couple spear-wielding marionettes that joined in the chase before she recognized where she was. "I'm almost to the front door! A few more seconds and I'm home free." Just as she turned into the last corridor heading for the main entrance, a pair of arms shot out through a paper wall and grabbed her. Ranma's momentum carried her and Cherry half a dozen more yards down the corridor before they slid to a halt. 

Before she could free herself from the small marionettes grasp, Lynx reached her, and then Bloodberry, Panther and Lime an instant after that. 

Cherry spoke up over the din of combat. "Otaru wants her captured! We need information!" The marionettes struggled to pin their wildly struggling captive down, each of the others grabbing a limb leaving Cherry free. Hold her steady for just a few more seconds!" The purple haired marionette tapped a few points on the back of Ranma's neck and was rewarded when a small hole opened up. "I've almost got her...." Cherry pulled a long pin out of her hair and stuck it in the opening. An instant later the red head went motionless. 

Bloodberry looked impressed, and poked the unresisting marionette in the middle of the forehead. "Great! What did you do to her?" 

Cherry blinked. "I hit her off switch, of course!" 

Bloodberry and Panther both looked a bit shocked at that, while Lynx just shrugged, having already known. 

Lime just looked confused. "Cherry? What's an off switch?" 

************************ 

Akane paced back and forth in front of the cooling ashes of the fire. She had let the flames die unnoticed and now with only one working arm, was unable to bring the fire back to life. A long trail of smoke rose up from the dying fire unnoticed as Akane paced, trying to think of a way to relight the fire with her good arm. 

"What am I going to do?" She muttered to herself. "How will Ranma find me if the fire goes out?" Akane glanced up the hill to the peak, several dozen yards away. "I know! I can keep a lookout from up there! That way if Ranma comes looking, I can spot him... her, first." Decision made, Akane headed for the hilltop, quickly taking up a post there. As the minutes passed, Akane went back to pacing. "Why did I agree to wait here? What if something happens to Ranma?" She scanned the horizon intently. "I don't know why I'm even looking. Ranma won't be back for hours...." Akane's eyes widened slightly as she spotted something moving between the trees below her and in the direction of the city. 

"Ranma?" Akane hesitated, staring. "No.... too big, and moving too slowly." The injured marionette dropped to the ground on the top of the hill, keeping an eye on the slowly moving form. It was quickly evident that the thing approaching wasn't human, or even alive. It was a large machine with a box supported by two large, slightly birdlike legs, oddly reminiscent of the "Imperial Walkers" she had seen in a popular American Science fiction movie. One major difference was the peculiar fact that the strange walking machine, while unmistakably mechanical, seemed to be made mostly of wood! Akane was able to determine its scale when she noticed a man walking next to it, standing with his head parallel to the machine's hip. 

As they got closer, Akane could judge the man to be a burly six feet tall at least, which would put the walking machine at twice that. An older man sat inside the body of the machine, his bald head and long white beard sticking out of the cockpit. The two of them seemed to be heading on a direct line for her and Ranma's campsite, and Akane slid farther down the hill as they approached. 

"Are they looking for us?" Akane glanced over at the campsite and paled. The trail of smoke from the extinct fire was still clearly visible, although it was just starting to fade out. "Oh no! That's how they found me, the smoke!" Akane remembered camping with Ranma and his father nearly a year before. <'Or five hundred years, now. Ranma told me that a hot fire, with dry wood, doesn't smoke.... Which is what he built last night. I should have remembered to put it out once it started to die!" 

Down the hill, the tall woodsman crouched over the ashes of Akane's old fire. "Campfire." He stated quietly. "Less than a hour old." 

The old man in the walker looked mildly disappointed. "Is that all? I was looking forward to testing out the fire fighting equipment on my new design." He patted the side of his walking machine. "I'm particularly proud of this one. I made it especially versatile, useful in any situation." 

The woodsman glanced up at his old companion passively. "Hmmm?" 

The old man snorted. "Don't believe me? I'll show you! You need to take down a few trees today, right? There were a bunch damaged by the last plasma storm over by the road, right?" 

The woodsman nodded soberly and turned away, walking in Akane's general direction. 

The old man maneuvered his large machine after him. "Go ahead, take me to them! I've made some new modifications. We'll have those tree's cleared in minutes!" 

Akane cleared out of their way, hiding behind a nearby tree until the two men had gone well past. "Whew." She breathed a sigh of relief. "I guess it was just a coincidence. It doesn't look like they were after us after all." Akane watched as the two men started to get out of sight. "I wonder what they're out here for, anyway? That big machine looks pretty high tech.... wood or no. I bet they have a tool shop or something in case it gets damaged... If I follow them, maybe I can find something to repair my arm with!" She hesitated. "But what if Ranma comes back while I'm gone?" Akane glanced back at the fire, then at the disappearing men. "If I hurry, maybe...." 

Akane rushed down to the fire and grabbed an unburned stick, then wrote in the earth next to the fire pit. (Be back soon. Wait here.) She nodded in satisfaction, "OK, that ought to do it." then turned and ran back up the hill, then headed quickly toward where she had seen the two men disappear into the woods. In just under a minute Akane was able to make out the heavy footsteps of the large walking machine. She crept toward the sound as quietly as she could and soon spotted it still walking along with the tall woodsman, keeping a nice slow pace. Akane followed them as stealthily as she could and soon they came out of the woods onto a medium sized dirt road. 

The two men headed up the road for a few minutes while Akane shadowed them from the woods, finally reaching a stand of trees that looked badly burned from lightning. 

"Those are the ones?" The old man asked. "I can see the problem. They could fall and block the road at any time. Well, not to worry. This walker has the tools for the job." He pushed a button on his control panel and a pair of large mechanical (although wooden) arms folded out from the body. He grabbed a joystick and pushed another button on it and a large chainsaw blade popped out of one of the arms. Grabbing a joystick opposite the first he pushed another button and a large claw opened up from the other mechanical arm. "Here we go. I'll finish this job in no time." 

The large woodsman shrugged and stepped back, watching patiently. The old man maneuvered his machine forward and grabbed hold of one of the trees with the claw arm, then started up the saw blade. Jockeying carefully, he started cutting slowly through the tree right below his claw's grip. In just under a minute, he had the claw arm pull back, taking the tree off its base in one piece. 

The old man laughed. "Ha! What did I tell you! No problem!" He walked the machine backwards and laid the tree down. 

The woodsman nodded thoughtfully. "Alright. Now what?" 

The old man blinked. "Well, now we take the rest of these trees down... we can come back later with a truck to haul them back to town. It shouldn't take very long." 

The woodsman nodded again. "Um hmm." 

The old man grunted and grabbed the controls to his machine again. "Well, might as well get this over with." The machine went back to work, methodically taking the stand of trees down, one by one. 

From the trees Akane watched, fascinated. "Wow... that's a pretty neat machine. I guess they must be loggers or something. I wonder how they are going to get those trees back to wherever they need to take them?" As she watched, Akane noticed a crack start to develop in the claw arm of the walker. When the machine picked up the fourth tree the arm creaked and suddenly snapped, just as the tree was being lifted over to lay with the others. 

Komatsu had been logging for more than half his life, and the distinctive sound of wood snapping was far from unfamiliar to him. When the arm broke, he dived for the forest floor, covering his head without taking the time to look around. He heard the tree's top hitting the ground, and felt the trunk coming down toward him and quickly rolled to get out of its way. An instant before the tree hit, however, it stopped with a thump. Komatsu looked up in confusion and noticed a Marionette standing above him, holding the trunk of the tree up with one arm. Her arm trembled slightly from the weight, and her feet had been driven several inches into the soft ground. Komatsu blinked twice then rolled the rest of the way out from under the tree. 

Akane strained to hold the trunk up. <'What's happening? I shouldn't be having this much trouble with this tree! Even with one arm I was stronger than this yesterday... I know I was.'> With a great effort, Akane shoved the tree off to the left and let it fall. She suddenly felt dizzy and tired, and very hot. <'What's... what's wrong with... me...." Akane barely noticed the vent in her right arm opening up and sending out a jet of steam before she sank to the ground, barely conscious. <'I... I can barely keep my eyes open... am I... going to turn off?'> 

The old man hopped down out of his walker. "Damn! How did that happen? I did the stress calculations twice!" He looked down at the strange Marionette that had come out of nowhere. "Well then, I suppose we were lucky that you were here, eh?" Akane looked up at him, her eyes slowly shutting. "Hmmm." The old man nodded to himself. "Out of power? We'll have to do something about that...." Everything went black and Akane lost consciousness. 

******************************* 

Akane's eyes opened suddenly. She found herself in a small room and she quickly sat up. To her surprise, when she had pushed up, both of her arms had moved to lift her. Akane glanced at her left arm and noticed that it looked undamaged. The hole was gone. She was still wearing the kimono she had had on before, but the sleeve's torn edge had been cut back slightly to the seam. 

"What's your name?" A gravely male voice asked her from the rear. Akane whirled around to see the old man from the woods coming into the small room she was in, carrying a small case. 

"..." Akane gaped speechlessly at the man for several long seconds before finally remembering to answer him. "Akane. I'm... Akane." 

The old man nodded politely. "All right, Akane. You can call me Gennai. Feeling better?"

Akane blinked, then nodded slowly. "Yes, thank you. Did you fix me?" 

Gennai raised an eyebrow at the response. "I did. It was the least I could do after you saved Komatsu from that tree. I'd have never forgiven myself if my mistake had injured him." He nodded to her left arm. "The damage wasn't too bad. The control wires had been severed, and you had a pretty serious short there, but it was easy enough to repair." Gennai spoke almost to himself, not really expecting the marionette in front of him to understand. 

Akane didn't really understand completely, but wanted too. "The control wires? Like for a... a plane?" She frowned. "A short? Is that why I got weaker... um... lost power?" 

Gennai was staring at the marionette in front of him in fascination. "A plane?" He looked very thoughtful. "Yes... I suppose a plane would have a similar system...." He looked at Akane in confusion. "But how would you know about planes? I myself have just recently been researching various methods of flight... but no one has built one on this planet in hundreds of years. The plasma storms make flight entirely too risky. How would you have heard of them?" 

Akane swallowed nervously, trying to think of a good excuse. "Um... I heard someone mention them...?" 

Gennai quirked his head sideways, staring at her intently. "You're no ordinary Marionette, are you? You have a maiden circuit!" 

Akane froze. <'Whoops! I forgot! Normal marionettes don't ask questions like that!'> She looked at the old man nervously, not daring to speak. 

Gennai shook his head. "I didn't know there were more of you. As far as I knew there were only six maiden circuits on the planet... although I suppose it would be a little strange if someone else didn't eventually build another one." He looked directly into Akane's face. "Where were you built? What were you doing in the woods?" 

Akane looked startled. "The woods? Oh no! What time is it? No... how long has it been since I... since I shut down?" 

Gennai blinked. "How long? Hmmm, about six hours I think, why?" 

Akane jumped down off the table. "I've got to go!" She walked quickly toward the door and opened it. She looked around, noticing she was somewhere inside the city, in some sort of apartment complex. Akane turned back to Gennai. "Where am I?" She blushed, then covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, I'm being awfully rude, and I haven't thanked you for fixing me, but...." 

Gennai put his hand on the back of his head and laughed. "Don't worry about it! I've gotten used to it with Lime and the others' antics. In comparison you're a model of politeness. You're about four or five miles from the East Side of the city, where the road you met us on begins." He pointed. "That way. You can't miss it, the first main road to the wall, and you'll see the gate right away. It's the only gate in that part of the wall." 

Akane bowed. "Thank you very much, Gennai-san. I am in your debt." She turned toward the road and started off quickly. 

Gennai watched her go in bemusement. "Why do I get the feeling I'll be seeing that marionette again?" 

****************************** 

As soon as she was out of sight of the old man, Akane hopped up on the rooftops and started running full out, bounding along at high speed. "I've got to hurry! What if Ranma came back while I was gone... and is looking for me? My message said that I'd be right back!" Akane raced all the way too the wall, then went over it, avoiding the gate so as not to be spotted. She followed the road she found out to the sight of the fallen trees, then backtracked to the spot she and Ranma had slept the night at, and the dead campfire. Her message was still there, and the camp was undisturbed. 

Akane sighed in relief and sank down to her knees. "I haven't missed him." Akane sat back, facing the cold fire pit. "Her. I've got to remember that Ranma's stuck as a girl now." Akane sighed. "Poor Ranma, this must be hardest of all for... her." She glanced around at the small remaining pile of firewood. "Well. now that I have two working arms again, I might as well get the fire restarted. Won't Ranma be surprised that I've already gotten fixed!" 

******************************** 

Lorelei opened her eyes slowly and looked around, confused at first by the unfamiliar surroundings. "Where am I?" Even as she asked the question she remembered. "I've been kidnapped... by Godai Kuno!" Lorelei sat up, getting a better look at her surroundings. She was in a large bedroom, lying on an ornate looking curtained bed. Her jeans and sweater had been replaced with a short white silk robe that covered her arms to the elbows and her legs only halfway down her hips. It was belted loosely in front and Lorelei quickly took a peek to check.... 

"Eek!" Lorelei turned slightly pink as she realized that the robe was the only thing she was wearing. She tightened the belt and got off the bed, walking quietly over to the door. Lorelei tried the door handle to no avail, it was apparently securely locked. There were no other exits to the room and the door looked very solid. Lorelei looked around the room for some idea of what to do next. Besides the bed the only other piece of furniture in the room was a large wooden wardrobe. Hoping to find something with more coverage, Lorelei went over and pulled it open. A number of negligees and other silken undergarments with even less coverage than what she wore hung in the wardrobe. Lorelei picked out white lace bra and panties as the least embarrassing and opened her robe to put them on. As she was slipping the panties on, the door to her room suddenly opened. 

Lorelei shut her robe quickly as Godai Kuno walked in, flanked by a marionette she recognized as Nabiki Tendo. He shut the door behind him, dashing any small hope of escape, although that hope was indeed small, as the likelihood of her getting away from a combat marionette was slim indeed. 

Godai smirked as Lorelei hurriedly belted up her robe. "I hope you like the clothing I picked out for you. We couldn't leave you your original clothing, of course, too much chance of some sort of bug or trace chemical being in them." 

Lorelei tried to retain some of her dignity. "Very clever of you. May I ask what you intend to do with me?" 

Godai shrugged. "Nothing quite yet. Kidnapping you was only the first step. I have to consolidate my position with the council as soon as possible, but don't worry, you are still useful to me." 

Lorelei looked at the older man intently. "What do you mean, useful? Why did you kidnap me?" 

Godai sniffed. "I think that would be obvious to an intellect of your caliber, Dr. Lorelei. With you out of the way, there is an absence of power in the government. With the council in disarray, I will easily be able to assume control. At the same time, you are a powerful bargaining chip for certain other powerful individuals." 

Lorelei swallowed slowly, trying not to show her nervousness. "You're going to... what, sell me to the highest bidder?" 

Godai laughed softly. "Don't be ridiculous. Why should I let someone get a hold of such a valuable resource? No, you are useful because you are the only living female on the planet. People will give anything for access to your DNA." 

Lorelei blinked. "What do you mean? There are a hundred clones growing right now with my DNA in them. I'm far from unique now." 

Godai shook his head. "As I said, I'll be in control of the council... and as you have probably guessed, I can circumvent the palaces security systems as well. In another day, you will be the only one. Taking a cloning chamber from the palace would be exceedingly difficult, but destroying them is not hard at all. Now that I have you, I have everything I need to begin." 

Lorelei gaped at him in horror. "That's... monstrous! What kind of inhuman animal are you?" 

Godai snorted. "I'm hardly inhuman, Dr. Lorelei, simply pragmatic. As it was you were going about the destruction of Terra Two. The introduction of the human female to this planet has to be conducted much more carefully. I am simply performing an abortion... as distasteful as that is, it is justified by the cause." 

Lorelei shuddered, her hands going into claws before she could calm herself. "You... you monster! I'll do whatever it takes to stop you!" 

Godai shrugged. "You can do nothing. If you do feel the need to do something heroic, I feel the need to point out the fact that I do not need you alive to carry out my plans. I can store your DNA perfectly well after you are dead. It's just a bit more inconvenient. I'm not a monster, if I was I'd simply have killed you already." He turned to go, and the door opened up for him. Godai paused in the doorway. "Stay here and guard Lorelei, Nabiki. Let no one but Yusaku or myself in or out of this room." 

Nabiki nodded automatically. "Yes master." Godai nodded and left, the door shutting behind him. Lorelei flew to the door and pounded on it, but it was again firmly shut. She slumped to the floor in defeat, then glanced over at the impassive Nabiki. 

"So...." Lorelei sighed, sitting with her back to the door. "I guess it's just you and me, huh?" 

Nabiki stood quietly several feet from the door while Lorelei got to her feet. The petite scientist walked around slowly to look the short haired marionette in the eyes. 

"You're Nabiki Tendo, right?" Lorelei asked softly. "Ranma told me about you and your sister. What's happened to you? Why are you obeying the Kuno's?" Nabiki wanted to look away and it showed in her face. Lorelei's eyes narrowed. "It is you. Why are you helping them?" 

Nabiki shook her head, her face breaking finally from her emotionless mask to one of sincere regret. "I have to do whatever they say." She looked away from Lorelei to the far wall. "I... I have no choice." 

Lorelei moved to the side to interrupt Nabiki's line of sight. "What do you mean, you have no choice? What kind of hold do they have over you?" 

Nabiki stared at the doctor in fustration. "I mean exactly that. I... I... I can't do ANYTHING they don't tell me to do. I can only talk to you now because Godai told me I can speak freely... as long as I don't swear or insult him. I literally cannot do anything they do not permit me to do." 

Lorelei blinked. "A control program? Do you have any control at all?" 

Nabiki closed her eyes and shook her head. "If I try to do anything I'm not ordered to do... I loose control of my body. I'm... cut off, trapped inside this shell with no feelings, only my own thoughts...." She shuddered in rememberance. 

The only living human female on the planet paled in horror. "Oh my god... Nabiki... I'm so sorry." Lorelei stepped forward and put her arms around Nabiki impulsively, hugging her tightly. 

Nabiki froze, then slowly hugged Lorelei back, trying not to break down and cry. <'I won't cry... I won't show weakness.... Damn it... I won't give them the satisfaction!'> Dispite her intentions Nabiki found herself crying silently into Lorelei's shoulder while the peite scientist held her and stroked her hair. 

"It'll be all right, Nabiki. You'll see. I'll fix you, I promise. I won't let them hurt you anymore." Lorelei comforted her unwilling kidnapper without hesitation. The fact that Nabiki was in the body of a marionette powerful enough to bend steel was the furthest thing from her mind. Right now, all she could see was a young woman terribly abused. 

Nabiki sniffed back her tears and tried to collect herself. <'All right, Nabiki... I think thats about enough. Come on, where's that control you're so proud of?'> She slowly pushed away from Lorelei and stood apart, the only evidence of her tears the wet marks down her cheeks. "I... thanks. I needed that." Nabiki took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, then opened them, outwardly calm once more. "All right. Now what? How are we going to get out of this?" She rolled her eyes. "And if you're going to say that Ranma will save us I hope you have something more concrete in mind." 

Lorelei blinked, taking in the suddenly calm marionette with a bit of confusion. "Ranma? Yes, I suppose she is quite competent. Actually, I'm counting on Otaru. He's a very determined young man, and he and his marionettes have accomplished the impossible more than once." 

Nabiki smirked slightly. "Do I detect affection in your voice, Lorelei-san? Might you have a bit of a crush on this Otaru?" Nabiki walked over to the bed and sat down, patting a spot next to her. "Well? Tell me all about him." 

Lorelei hesitated. "Me... and Otaru?" She shook her head. "No. No, we're not like that. I just know he'll rescue us." 

Nabiki's slight smile widened fractionally. "I'm glad to hear it. I think I'd like to hear more about this Otaru. He sounds like a very interesting guy." 

Lorelei smiled slightly and sat down next to Nabiki. "All right. I'll tell you about Otaru, and you can tell me something about Ranma, all right?" 

Nabiki nodded, her eyes twinkling. "Sounds like a deal." 

end of chapter 6 


	8. 7

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru (NG Knight Lamune, Bakuretsu Hunter, Bakuen Campus Guardress.), Kotobuki Tsukasa (Toshinden), and Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma/Maison Ikkoku, lots of other great stuff)

Previous Chapters can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/1449/ssl.html

** Strangers in a Strange Land**  
Chapter 7

Lorelei hesitated before speaking. "Otaru... Truthfully I have not really known him for very long... but I feel I know him very well." She blushed slightly, recalling the moments when she had been connected to Bloodberry, Cherry and especially Lime, in the time she had still been trapped on the Mesopotamia. Their feelings for Otaru had been very strong, and somehow the fact that their maiden circuits were based off her own personality had created a strange bond between her and them, although she had only been fully aware of it while in suspended animation. Lime also had fully sensed the connection between her and Lorelei, but only once, while her body had been shut down after her maiden circuit had been stolen. The bond was real, of that Lorelei was sure, but it seemed to only be fully active in a state of complete sensory depravation.

Nabiki noted the slight blush and the long pause that followed. "Hmmm." She smiled to herself, thinking that she understood the reason for Lorelei's hesitation. "I see...." 

Lorelei blinked and looked up. "What? Oh my...." She shook her head. "It's not what you think. Otaru-san is a friend, nothing more." She shrugged. "I know the most about him from his friends. Otaru really doesn't talk about himself much." Lorelei fell silent again, as her agile mind came up with a possibility. <'_The link! Lime and company were able to track me through it once before... if I could only think of a way to use it now._'> Lorelei shook her head slightly. <'_But going into a state of suspended animation isn't likely, and I don't think Lime understood how she was able to reach me before.... We never talked about it... and now I wish we had._'> She sighed.

Nabiki looked a bit concerned. "Hey, if you don't want to talk about him, it's OK."

Lorelei shook her head. "No, I'm all right. I'd like to tell you about him." She looked thoughtful. "Now where should I begin? Otaru-san was the one who ended up activating Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry, the three marionettes that Ieyasu had created in order to rescue me from the Mesopotamia. You see, in order for their maiden circuits to evolve enough so that the Mesopotamia's master computer would accept them in my place they had to be cared for by someone with the capacity to truly care for them, and let them grow. Otaru-san was that person. Thanks to him, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry evolved real personalities, and were able to rescue me."

Nabiki looked interested. "I didn't know about any of that. The colony ship's computer was holding you? Why?"

Lorelei blushed slightly. "An error on my part, I'm afraid. The Mesopotamia was my first attempt at true artificial intelligence... but it was a failure. It did gain sentience, of a sort, but it had almost nothing in the way of morality. The computer I built ended up... falling in love with me."

She paused, shaking her head. "Due to my mistake, the computer rebelled against everyone on board and started the accident that would kill almost everyone aboard, except the six men who escaped, and, of course, myself. The Mesopotamia kept me alive and held me against my will, and there was nothing I could do about it. Faust-san came up with a plan to rescue me, by creating a second sentient computer that could be exchanged for me, that the Mesopotamia would accept in my place. Using the prototype schematics of my improved design for an artificial intelligence, based off three aspects of my own personality, he began the long process of my rescue.

Lorelei sighed. "The process was too take the next three hundred years to perfect, due to the primitive conditions they had to start with, and I put myself into suspended animation on the Mesopotamia to wait for the day they would be ready. Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry's maiden circuits were the final result, three aspects of my personality every bit as aware and alive as I, only machines. Otaru wasn't aware that Ieyasu and Faust intended them to be sacrificed for me...." Lorelei broke off, her throat tightening up. <'_Why? Why am I telling her all this?_'>

Nabiki nodded slowly. "So they were supposed to be sacrificed for you? These three marionettes with Maiden circuits? What happened?"

Lorelei swallowed her guilt momentarily. "They willingly chose to do so, joining with the Mesopotamia's master computer so that I would be freed. Otaru would have stopped them if he could, but they took the decision out of his hands." Lorelei smiled brightly. "But this tale had a happy ending. In the attempt to free me the Mesopotamia was badly damaged. The main computer failed after a few weeks and Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry managed to return to earth."

Nabiki nodded. "That's good to hear. What are they doing now?"

Lorelei smiled wryly. "Right now I suppose they are out looking for Ranma, Akane and yourself. Godai convinced them that you three were dangerous and I'm afraid we agreed to help him."

Nabiki frowned thoughtfully. "Why them?"

Lorelei answered quietly. "They, along with Faust's trio, are the only marionettes known with Maiden circuits. That makes them the most powerful marionettes on the planet. Whenever Japoness has been threatened, it has ended up falling to Otaru and his marionettes to save the day." 

Nabiki blinked. "Maiden circuits are that powerful? I had no idea."

Lorelei nodded. "They provide more than simply the ability to act on their own initiative. The Maiden circuits give them the power of emotion, a force not to be discounted."

Nabiki nodded slowly. "I see. That makes sense, from what I've seen. You mean they can use their emotions to help them fight? Ranma could do that... so could most of the people he hung out with... to a lesser degree." She looked curious. "They can really utilize their chi? All of them? I can see why they're so powerful." 

Lorelei hesitated. "Chi... yes, that's as good a term as any I suppose."

Nabiki rubbed her chin. "Only marionettes with Maiden circuits have emotions?"

Lorelei nodded. "That's correct. It's obvious that your maiden circuit is very advanced, Nabiki."

Nabiki shrugged. "Thanks, I think, although I'd bet it's just a side effect of having my memories implanted from my past. What I was getting at was that I think I saw your Otaru, along with five marionettes that seemed to have emotions. Three must have been Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry, but the other two?"

Lorelei blinked. "Oh? Well, they would have been Panther and Lynx, two of Faust's saber dolls. They were also built in order to rescue me, although Faust wasn't able to get them to fully evolve. They are staying with Otaru now, in order for their personalities to benefit from his influence. Tiger, the third of Faust's trio, is at the palace, undergoing repairs to her Maiden Circuit."

Nabiki nodded. "I see. There were two guys with them... One with brown hair, and carrying a Sai, and the other with longish blond hair...."

Lorelei nodded. "The first would be Otaru. The other man is Hanagata...."

Nabiki chuckled slightly. "A bit of a flake, huh?"

Lorelei reddened a tiny bit. "Oh no... he's just... very devoted to Otaru-san...."

Nabiki continued smiling. "You're not jealous of him, are you?"

Lorelei blushed brighter. "No! Otaru really isn't interested in him, Hanagata can be a little annoying but he's a true friend...."

Nabiki nodded, still grinning. "Who's in love with your Otaru, right? But since Otaru doesn't swing that way, you're not really worried, am I right?"

Lorelei shook her head. "No! I mean... yes, Otaru doesn't, but...." She blushed again. "He's not my Otaru."

Nabiki shrugged. "If you say so...."

Lorelei frowned, trying to glare angrily at Nabiki, but not doing a very good job. "Oh well." She gave up. "How can you tell?"

Nabiki winked knowingly. "Hey, I can tell. I've had lots of practice, let me tell you." She smiled gently. "Listen, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but I can tell you really care for the guy. If you care so much, you should tell him."

Lorelei blinked then shook her head quickly from side to side. "I couldn't!" She looked away. "I haven't the right."

Nabiki sighed and shook her head. "Oh brother... another hopeless cause. First Ranma and Akane, and now you."

Lorelei blinked. "Ranma and Akane? Aren't they...?"

Nabiki's eyes widened. <'_Oops! Damn... she'll never buy the real truth._'> "Both girls? Yeah, it's not all that different from your Hanagata, is it?"

Lorelei blushed and nodded. "I suppose not. Ranma does seem to act quite tomboyish, I suppose."

Nabiki laughed out loud. "Hah! Yes, you'd almost think she was a boy!" She sobered. "Don't misunderstand. They really do care for each other... they just... can't admit it very well." <'_And Ranma being stuck as a girl isn't going to help any._'>

Lorelei nodded. "I can understand that. Still, Ranma said something interesting when I was with her. She mentioned something about her and Akane having kids eventually? Back in the past, I suppose. I wasn't aware same sex marriages were legalized back then. Were they planning to adopt?" 

Nabiki blinked. "Err... well, they were a... special case." In a lot of ways!

Lorelei looked interested. "Why was that? How did Ranma and Akane... she's your sister? Get together?"

Nabiki nodded. "Akane is my younger sister. As for how they got together... well, Ranma and hi... her father came to live at our house around two years ago... for me at least. There were sparks between her and Akane from the start, although both of them denied it for the longest time. It was far from an easy relationship. Ranma kept up having fiancee's show up that had a claim on her...."

Lorelei blinked. "Fiancees? As in more than one?"

Nabiki paused. "Well, Ranma's father kept selling Ranma off to various families, sometimes for nothing more than a good meal. He would engage Ranma to some poor girl... er... guy, and then run off. Happened more than once."

Lorelei looked incredulous. "That's hard to believe. What did Ranma do?"

Nabiki shrugged. "Ranma didn't really know about it... until they started showing up at our house, demanding that Ranma honor the engagement to them. There was even one girl from this village of Chinese Amazons that...."

Lorelei interrupted. "A girl?"

Nabiki paused again. "Well... those Amazons had some pretty strange laws... one that if someone beat them in combat they had to marry them, or kill them. Ranma beat her in a fight, and she had to marry... her." <'_Of course, the law really states that an Amazon has to kill a girl that beats her, and marry a guy... but I don't think Lorelei would understand._'>

As Nabiki went on explaining about Ranma and Akane's rocky courtship, (heavily edited of course) Lorelei was thinking furiously to herself. <'_I've got to figure a way for us to get out of here and away from the Kunos. If I was Godai, I'd have this room bugged, not to mention the fact that they might be able to monitor me through Nabiki. If I can just get to her control circuits and disable them, we might be able to escape._'> She frowned. <'_But without tools... can I manage it before the Kuno's come in here to stop me?_'> Her face hardened. <'_Only one way to find out._'>

Nabiki was explaining jokingly one of Ranma's more interesting adventures when Lorelei looked her right in the eyes and started to speak silently. Nabiki kept talking automatically and read her lips, very glad to have picked up the skill to do so years before.

"Are we bugged?" Lorelei mouthed silently. Nabiki shrugged her shoulders just slightly to indicate that she didn't know. "Cameras? Can they heard us or see us?" Lorelei continued. 

Nabiki shrugged again. "I don't know." She mouthed back silently, then went back to her monologue.

Lorelei nodded then slid closer to Nabiki. "Sit still." She mouthed. "I'm going to try something."

"Nabiki-chan...." Lorelei said out loud, interrupting her. "I've frightened that they're going to do something terrible to me." Lorelei moved closer yet. "Please... hold me?"

Nabiki blinked. "Um... all right...." What is she up to? Lorelei moved in and hugged Nabiki again, and Nabiki carefully hugged her back. Lorelei's hands traveled up her back to her neck, and circled it, then began to press in slightly in several spots around her neck. There was a peculiar sensation and she lost all feeling in her neck, a second later her hands came up against her will and grabbed Lorelei's wrists, forcing them away from her neck and closing the small opening that she had created there. When sensation returned to her neck, Nabiki's hands came back under her control. "What in the world?"

Lorelei rubbed her wrists ruefully, trying to restore circulation. "I take it that you didn't do that yourself."

Nabiki shook her head. "No. My hands moved by themselves. Do you know why?"

Lorelei nodded with a sigh. "I'm afraid so. Apparently Godai has included a self defense mechanism in your control program. I was trying to get at it so I could disable it... I hoped I could do so without anyone noticing... but it looks like that will be impossible."

Nabiki's shoulders sagged. "Damn... there's no way to get at it?"

Lorelei shook her head. "I can't think of any other way without disabling you... which I couldn't do even if I wanted to."

Nabiki sighed. "Well, it was a nice try." She mouthed silently again. "Think they noticed?"

Lorelei shook her head slightly and shrugged.

Nabiki frowned and nodded. "Right." She mouthed silently again. "Keep thinking."

Lorelei nodded a fraction of an inch then spoke out loud. "So, you were telling me about your Kunos?"

********************

Otaru glanced down at the petite red headed marionette in some concern. She was attached to a diagnostic table in the palace's marionette repair shop with large improvised manacles. "Will those hold?" He asked Baiko doubtfully.

When Baiko didn't answer right away Cherry spoke up. "They should, Otaru-sama. Those manacles are of sufficient strength to restrain Bloodberry, so they should do for her."

Otaru nodded. "All right then, wake her up." He nodded to Ranma, who had been dressed in one of the palace's Orange Blossoms' kimonos, which was quite a bit too large for her. Cherry nodded and moved over to the side of the diagnostic table.

Baiko spoke up. "I doubt that will do any good, Otaru-san." It is doubtful that this marionette will agree to help you find Lorelei."

Otaru frowned. "I've got to try something! We can't just sit here and hope Lorelei turns up on her own!" He nodded again. "Go ahead, Cherry. Wake her up."

Cherry nodded and was about to do so when the door was opened from the outside. "Stop!" The loud commanding voice caused Cherry to pause in what she had been doing. "Don't reactivate that marionette!" Godai Kuno came into the room, surrounded by several of the Palace's Orange Blossom Marionettes. "That marionette is too dangerous to reactivate. You don't know what will happen."

Otaru looked at Godai suspiciously. "Why don't you? You built them, after all."

Godai sighed and shook his head sorrowfully. "And I cannot say how much I regret my mistake." He straightened. "Still, I am now taking steps to counteract that error, as you shall see." He nodded. "As of now, Japoness is going under a state of martial law until the remaining two rogue marionettes are captured and Dr. Lorelei is returned safely. As I am the head of the imperial council in Lorelei's absence, I am forced to take control for the duration.

He nodded to Otaru. "Until further notice, you should have your marionettes combing the city and its surroundings for the rogues. That is the way you can best serve Japoness at this time.

Otaru's eyes narrowed. "But Lorelei...."

Godai interrupted. "Will be rescued quicker if you begin your search immediately. That's an order, do I make myself clear?"

Otaru hesitated, then nodded. "Clear enough." He looked over at Cherry. "We're going!"

Cherry nodded immediately. "Yes Otaru-sama!" Otaru stalked out of the room angrily and Cherry followed along right behind.

As they got out of earshot down the corridor, Otaru shook his head. "I don't trust him Cherry. Let's go get the others. Maybe we can think of something together."

**********************

Godai nodded to Baiko and Tamasaburo. "You two may go. I want to examine this marionette in private."

The two Amazonlike marionettes stayed put and Baiko spoke up. "As the current leader of Japoness, it is now our responsibility to see too your safety. Due to the fact that two powerful rogue marionettes are still on the loose, it would not be advisable to leave you alone. The Orange Blossoms alone would not be able to stop an attempt on your life if you were to be attacked by them."

Godai swore silently to himself. <'_Damn! These two are the only marionettes in the palace not controlled by the central computer. Unfortunately, aside from Otaru's Sabers and of course the three I built, these are the most advanced marionettes on the planet. If they learn I had anything to do with Lorelei's kidnapping, there's no telling what they'll do._'> He nodded to Baiko. "A very good suggestion, but wouldn't you be better served in looking for Lorelei?"

Baiko shook her head. "There are all ready hundreds of searchers. Our efforts are better served here, and our programming is very specific in this case. In the event of a threat to the leadership of Japoness, our duty is defense."

Godai frowned but kept his protests to himself. <'_Damn!!! Until I get rid of those two, I'll have to be careful not to reveal my plans._'>

*********************

Otaru and Cherry met Lime, Bloodberry, Panther and Lynx at his apartment in the middle of town only less than half an hour later.

"What's going on, Otaru?" Bloodberry asked as soon as he got through the door. "Did you and Cherry question that marionette?"

Otaru shook his head. "We didn't get the chance. General Kuno came in, claiming to be in charge of Japoness now, and told us to get out and go look for Lorelei and the other rogue marionettes." The young man frowned. "I don't trust him."

Lime growled and nodded. "I don't trust him either!" She blinked. "Um, who is it we don't trust?"

Otaru sighed and was about to explain when the door slid open to his apartment.

"What's going on, Otaru-san?" A balding, white haired older man poked his head into the room. "What's this I heard about Martial Law? Has something happened to Lorelei-san?"

Otaru turned to look at his friend. "Gennai-san, I'm afraid to say that Lorelei's been kidnapped, supposedly by a group of new marionettes with Maiden circuits."

Gennai blinked. "Lorelei kidnapped you say? When was this?"

Otaru shook his head. "Around an hour ago. We caught one of them at the scene, but General Kuno kicked us out of the palace before we could question her. He's taken over the council and declared Martial Law."

Gennai looked thoughtful. "An hour ago you say? How long exactly?"

Otaru shook his head. "At least an hour ago... maybe as much as an hour and a half. Why?"

Gennai frowned. "Because I just encountered a marionette with a Maiden Circuit, only she couldn't have kidnapped Lorelei, as she left me only forty five minutes ago or so." He frowned deeper. "How many of these marionettes are there?"

Otaru blinked. "Three. I have some photos...." He brought out the sheaf. "You say this marionette had a Maiden Circuit?"

Gennai nodded, going over the pictures. "Without a doubt. She was every bit as emotional as your bunch." He pointed at one of the pictures. "That's her, she calls herself Akane."

Everyone glanced at the photo and there were several gasps. "That's the one that attacked Cherry!" Bloodberry declared loudly. "Which way did she go?"

Gennai nodded to his left. "Toward the city wall, I assume she was leaving the city, back to where we first found her."

Bloodberry nodded firmly. "OK! Take us there quick, Gennai-san! We've got to get Lorelei back!"

Gennai shook his head. "As I said, I don't see how she could have taken Lorelei-san. She was with me for at least six hours, and she just left, after you say Lorelei was kidnapped." He glanced at Cherry. "Did you damage her? I didn't know you had a laser."

Cherry shook her head. "No, Panther shot her... I believe... I had lost function at that time."

Panther nodded angrily. "I would have finished her off too, if that red head hadn't helped her."

Otaru spoke up. "This marionette... Akane, nearly destroyed Cherry while this one," he pointed to the photo of a petite red haired marionette, "held the rest of us off. Later we found this one in the palace, and Lorelei was missing."

Gennai frowned. "This isn't good news! Come, I'll take you to where I first saw Akane." He started walking. "I'm not sure I understand what's going on, but I'll help any way I can." 

As they headed for the outskirts of the city, Cherry spoke up. "If Akane was with you during the kidnapping, and we caught the second one, that leaves the third as the one who captured Lorelei." She shook her head. "Only the hand we found, and the actions of Akane and the second marionette seem to point to the fact that the third one is damaged. Unless I was badly mistaken, that hand belonged to the third rogue marionette. If she was that badly damaged, how could she escape the palace with Lorelei?"

Gennai shook his head. "I don't know. I still find it hard to believe that that nice marionette Akane had anything to do with Lorelei's kidnapping. She saved Komatsu from a falling tree in the forest. Why would she do that?"

Otaru frowned. "We'll just have to ask her."

It wasn't long until they were in the woods, searching for some sign of Akane. "All right everyone, we'll split up into groups." Otaru decided. "Cherry, Lime and me in one group, and Lynx, Bloodberry and Panther in the other. If you find her, capture her intact. We need information most of all. She's damaged, so she shouldn't prove to difficult to stop."

Gennai cleared his throat. "Um, I'm afraid I repaired her. It seemed to be the least I could do after she saved Komatsu...."

Otaru shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Everyone keep your guard up and yell if you find her. We'll meet back here in half an hour if we find something or not." Everyone nodded and they split up, going their separate ways.

A few minutes later, deeper in the woods, Cherry came to a halt, gazing off to her right. "I detect a small wood fueled fire off in that direction. Should we investigate?" 

Otaru nodded. "Right. It's probably some hikers or something, but they might have seen something." Following Cherry's lead they soon came in sight of a small nearly smokeless campfire, over which a familiar looking marionette hunched, adding a small bunch of sticks.

"That's her!" Otaru whispered excitedly. "We should get the others before we... Lime!"

"Hello, Akane!" Lime was walking over the top of the hill toward Akane, smiling reassuringly. "Can we be friends? I know we fought before, but we fought with Lynx and Panther and Tiger-san... and we're all friends now... so can we be friends too?"

Akane jerked upright as she noticed Limes approach, and watched the cheerful marionette warily. "Friends? You... you want to be friends?"

Otaru and Cherry came out from behind the hill together slowly, coming up behind Lime cautiously.

Upon spotting Cherry Akane's face went ashen and she dropped to her knees. "Oh my god... I... I thought I'd...." She looked at Cherry earnestly, her face pleading. "I'm so sorry. Please... I didn't mean to hurt you so badly." She dropped her eyes, letting her hands brush the ground. "I... I surrender."

Lime came up to her, looking confused and concerned. "It's OK, Otaru fixed Cherry." She glanced back at Otaru and Cherry. "It's OK, right? Akane didn't mean too. She Komatsu... he's my friend, he let me have Squirrely, my pet squirrel! She wouldn't have saved him if she's mean! Right? Right?" Lime looked around anxiously, disturbed by the profound despair of the marionette kneeling in front of her. Cherry sighed, taking in the defenseless form of her attacker.

Cherry glanced at her master for guidance, but Otaru simply shook his head. "It's your decision, Cherry. I can't make it for you."

The pink haired marionette took one final look at Akane, who remained kneeling, awaiting her decision. "All right." Cherry sighed again. "I forgive you, all right?" She took Akane's chin and lifted her face to look her in the eyes. Akane's eyes were brimming with tears and Cherry felt her Maiden Circuit warm in response. "You were angry that your friend was hurt, weren't you? That was her hand, wasn't it?"

Akane nodded slowly. "My sister. It was my sister Nabiki's hand." She brought her hands up, taking Cherry's hand. "Please, please, tell me that she's all right! I'll do whatever you want, just tell me she'll be OK!"

Cherry stepped back but didn't pull her wrist free. "Nabiki? Is that her name? I'm sorry, we don't have her. All we found was that hand, right before you and the other marionette showed up."

Otaru looked slightly confused. "What do you mean by sister? Because you were all built at the same time?" Akane shook her head. "No, I mean she's my sister... was my sister, ever since I was born."

Otaru blinked. "Born?"

Akane nodded earnestly. "I'm not a robot... a marionette... at least I didn't use to be. I'm a girl, a human girl! My name is Akane Tendo. My memories were... put into this... marionette... by Godai Kuno. He made me, Ranma and my sister Nabiki. We were all human... once."

Lime blinked. "Like the Shogun?"

Akane nodded slowly. "Godai said we were like him... only our memories were in a computer for the last five hundred years. The Kunos meant for us to be their concubines... but we escaped."

Otaru eyes narrowed in understanding and anger. "Of course. That explains everything! He's been doing everything he could to get you back, or destroy you, any way he could, so no one would find out what he had done. I bet he's behind Lorelei's kidnapping too. That way he could blame you for it and take over Japoness in one fell swoop!" He nodded firmly.

"All right, Akane, you're coming with us. We've got to get the others, then get back to Japoness quick, before he does something else!"

Minutes later Otaru and company found Bloodberry and the others, and they headed back toward Japoness at a run, leaving Gennai plodding along behind.

The old man waved them on, panting. "Go on ahead! I'll make sure everyone knows what's really going on, and we'll come to the palace with reinforcements!"

As they ran, Bloodberry and Panther paced Akane, watching her suspiciously. "How do we know she's telling the truth?" Bloodberry asked pointedly. "This could be some sort of trap."

Otaru shook his head. "No, I trust my gut, and my gut has been telling me not to trust General Kuno from the first moment I saw him. I believe her."

Lime joined in enthusiastically. "Right! I am going gusto too!" She smiled at Akane. "And she's our friend now, right Akane?"

Akane nodded. "I'd like that, Lime. I want to make up for the mistakes I've made."

Bloodberry smiled slightly. Leave it to Lime to turn a deadly enemy into a friend. Panther just sniffed in disbelief.

As they closed in on the city, Otaru looked over at Akane. "Where would the Kunos keep Lorelei?"

Akane shook her head. "I'm not sure. His mansion maybe?"

Otaru nodded slowly. "That's a good idea, but if we're wrong, he might do something to Lorelei. We had better split up. One team to go to the Kuno Mansion and look for Lorelei, and the other to go to the palace and deal with General Kuno."

Lime nodded. "And we can wake up Akane's other friend at the palace! I bet she'd help us!"

Akane blinked. "My other friend? You mean Ranma?"

Otaru nodded. "Red hair and a pigtail, right? She was with you went you fought us before?"

Akane nodded quickly. "Is he... she, alright?"

Cherry was quick to reassure her, having been the target of one of Akane's rages before. "Yes, she's fine, just shut off. Do you know what she would have been doing in the palace?"

Akane frowned. "That idiot, yes, I can guess. He... she must have figured on trying to talk to Lorelei again. We heard about her and thought she would help us if she could, but...."

Otaru sighed. "But Godai Kuno got to us first. I'm sorry, Akane. I never should have trusted him."

Akane shrugged sadly. "How could you have known? But if Ranma's there, I've got to rescue him!"

Otaru shook his own head quickly. "No. Right now you're public enemy number one. You'd just slow us down when we went in. Anyway, you should know the Kuno mansion better than any of us. You'll be more help there."

Akane looked ready to protest then sighed. "You're right, I'll go to the mansion. Just... take care of Ranma for me, OK? She may be an idiot... but I don't want anything bad to happen to her."

Otaru nodded. "I'll save her, Akane, I promise. Now, for teams, Akane, you, Bloodberry and Cherry go into the Mansion and get Lorelei. Panther, Lynx and Lime will come with me into the Palace in order to put a stop to whatever General Kuno has there." He paused. "If all goes well, we'll all meet at the palace afterward. If all doesn't go well...." He looked thoughtful. "In that case, go to Akane's campsite. No one who isn't here should know where that is."

Akane paused. "When you wake up Ranma she might not trust you right away. Tell her... um... tell her Akane said... Jusenkyo, and to trust you. That way Ranma will know the message is from me.

Otaru blinked. "Jusenkyo? What does that mean?"

Akane couldn't help but smile. "Ask Ranma. Maybe she'll even tell you!"

Otaru shrugged and turned to go, waving to Lime, Panther and Lynx to follow him. "There's no time to lose! Who knows what Kuno has got planned?"

Akane nodded and started off in the direction of the Kuno mansion. "Good luck Otaru, to all of us."

The end of Chapter 7

Please C&C. I always appreciate good (or bad) feedback. 


	9. 8

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru,  
Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi... or practically all of them,  
anyway. The title is stolen from Heinlein... with one letter s added.  
  
Strangers in a Strange Land  
Chapter 8  
  
Godai had not been idle at the palace. As soon as Otaru had left he  
began making modifications to the Orange Blossom marionettes, using his  
new authority. Ever since his successful test with Nabiki he had had  
Yusaku producing large numbers of the control circuits he had created,  
justifying it to the palace technicians, accurately enough, by  
explaining the increased combat potential the chips gave, using the  
recorded Martial Arts techniques of the Anything Goes school.  
  
"Obviously," he explained patiently, "the repeated intrusions into  
the palace proves that security needs to be tightened." Godai neglected  
to mention, of course, the fact that the control circuits had hardwired  
into them an overriding obedience to himself and Yusaku. He was  
confident that it would not be discovered until after it was already too  
late to do anything about it. Before an hour had passed, the palace's  
maintenance staff and technicians were busy installing his modifications  
to the palace guard.  
  
Baiko and Tamasaburo, however, already had state of the art combat  
computers, and Godai simply couldn't think of a justification for  
implanting his chip in them, at least not a reasonable one. At the same  
time, Godai couldn't think of a way to explain why he would be  
"improving" the Ranma marionette, after already declaring her to be a  
rogue, and any other procedure to bring her back under his control was  
too time consuming to bother with at the present.  
  
As the work continued, however, Godai started to relax. Soon every  
marionette in the palace guard will be modified, and I will control the  
most powerful force in the city. If I'm careful, I can convince the  
council to modify the city militia as well, and then I will be solidly  
in control of Japoness. He nodded to himself. Now all I have to do  
is arrange an "accident" in the cloning center and blame it on the  
"rogue" marionettes. Otaru Mamiya will finish off the one remaining  
rogue, or I will, and then nothing will be able to stop me. Godai  
smiled widely. I'll be able to consolidate my hold carefully until I'm  
ready to start making the next step.  
  
Back at the Kuno mansion, Yusaku watched Lorelei and Nabiki through  
the security room's monitors. He rubbed his jaw absently. The bruise  
that Ranma had given him was just starting to fade, but his resentment  
of the event was coming back to the fore as he watched the two women.  
  
"Hmph." He groused. "Human females. I find it hard to believe  
they would be any improvement over marionettes." Yusaku changed to  
angle of the camera so that he could get a better look at Lorelei. "I  
admit that she is attractive... but so are my marionettes. What's to  
much better about a human female?" He snapped off the monitor. "I'm  
thinking about this too much. If I'm to find out the truth, it is  
easier to simply test my hypothesis." He got up and waved to a pair of  
Cherry Blossom for them to follow him. Several twists and turns through  
the house later, he was at the door to Lorelei's room. He tapped a code  
in on the panel outside the door and it slid open silently. Confidently  
he walked into the room, his Cherry Blossom's waiting outside.  
  
Lorelei spotted him first, her widening eyes causing Nabiki to turn  
around as well. "What do you want?" Lorelei asked politely, trying to  
remain calm.  
  
Yusaku stepped toward her. "What do I want?" He repeated  
curiously. "I want you to do as I tell you, Lorelei, if you know what's  
good for you."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "I see. Oh Nabiki?"  
  
Nabiki glanced at her. "Yes?"  
  
Lorelei pointed at one corner of the bed. "Could you please break  
me off a bed post and plug your ears?"  
  
Nabiki didn't hesitate. "Right!" She grabbed a bedpost, snapped  
off a two-foot section and tossed it to Lorelei, then plugged her ears  
with her fingers and started humming before Yusaku could think to stop  
her.  
  
"Wait!" He yelled. "Stop!" Lorelei hefted her improvised club  
once, then stood up quickly, lunging at Yusaku. Yusaku stepped back,  
still yelling. "No! Wait! Someone protect me!" The Cherry Blossoms  
rushed into the room but before they could reach him, Nabiki had moved  
to intercept. Lorelei's swung wildly, with little skill, desperate to  
knock Yusaku out before he could escape or succeed in giving Nabiki a  
command. Nabiki had crashed into the Cherry Blossoms and was fighting  
them while shouting incoherently at the top of her lungs.  
  
Yusaku fell backwards under Lorelei's swing and scrambled away from  
her on his hands. "Wait! Stop! Nabiki, sentries, protect me!"  
Lorelei brought down the bedpost and Yusaku dodged poorly, right into  
her erratic swing. He crumpled senseless a moment later. Nabiki had  
thrown one of the two Cherry Blossoms out of the room with sufficient  
force to put it through the wall on the other side of the hallway, but  
at Yusaku's call she and the other Cherry Blossom had turned away from  
each other to head toward Yusaku. Nabiki seemed to jerk to a stop with  
an effort of will and she grabbed the Cherry Blossom from behind,  
pinning its arms, then swiftly snapping its neck.  
  
Nabiki froze in shock as the broken marionette fell to the ground at  
her feet. "Oh.... oh god...." She shook her head in denial. "No...  
no... I couldn't have... I... how could I? I... I killed them!"  
  
Lorelei came up to her cautiously. "Nabiki, are you alright?"  
Nabiki turned to the young woman and Lorelei tried not to flinch away,  
trying not to picture how Nabiki had so casually destroyed them. "They  
were... machines, not like you. They were robots, simple programming,  
no consciousness. You don't have to feel ashamed. "They would have  
killed you, and you defended yourself, and me...."  
  
Nabiki shook her head violently. "No! No I didn't! I wanted to  
get in their way, but the damn control circuit kicked in and...." She  
shook her head again. "I don't know what happened...."  
  
Lorelei frowned thoughtfully. "Godai instructed you not to let  
anyone besides himself and Yusaku in or out of the room, correct?"  
  
Nabiki nodded in understanding. "And that didn't include his  
marionettes of course." Lorelei nodded confirmation and turned to head  
back to Yusaku's body. Nabiki's hand caught her by the elbow before she  
could take two steps and stopped her. "Don't go any closer, Lorelei."  
  
Lorelei blinked and stopped, turning to face the middle Tendo  
again. "What? Nabiki, why are you stopping me...." She paled. "Oh  
no... you heard, didn't you."  
  
Nabiki nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so... it was only the conflicting  
orders that kept me from attacking you before you hit him. I had to  
protect him, but I also had to keep the other marionettes out of the  
room." Nabiki hesitated. "I suppose my self preservation program won  
the tie at first, but when the second marionette slipped past me and I  
wasn't fighting it anymore, I had to really struggle to grab it rather  
than go for you...." She swallowed. "Lorelei... please don't get  
anywhere near him... I'm afraid I might...." She swallowed, then stared  
Lorelei in the eyes. "You saw what I just did to that marionette... I  
might very well kill you."  
  
Lorelei sighed and nodded. "I was afraid of that." She took a step  
backward, then headed for the bed. "Don't worry, Nabiki, I'd never put  
you through that if I can help it... even if I thought it would do me  
any good to try." She laid the bedpost down on the bed and shook her  
head. "I don't suppose if I was to swear to you that I am not planning  
on hurting him...."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "I might believe you, but the computer in my  
head probably won't... and it could very well have me kill you if you  
try." She shuddered. "My god, I'm a monster! Lorelei, if you find a  
way to destroy me, use it. If they were to make me hurt anyone else, I  
don't know how I could stand it." Lorelei looked about to protest and  
Nabiki cut her off. "Besides, this is no life. I'm a prisoner in my  
own head. I'd rather die."  
  
Lorelei hesitated for what seemed like hours before answering.  
"Nabiki... if there is no other way... I will do as you ask. But I do  
not think it will come to that." She sighed. "I can't hurt you at all  
anyway." She nodded at Yusaku. "Nabiki... would it break your  
programming to check Yusaku out yourself... see if he's alright... check  
his pockets for a little box, perhaps?"  
  
Nabiki blinked. "That... EMP device? That's a great idea! She  
started going through Yusaku's clothing, not bothering with the pretense  
of checking if he was injured or not. "Let me see...." She turned him  
over carefully and finished going through his pockets. "Damn." Nabiki  
swore under her breath. "Nothing. That could have worked, too. You  
could have used the thing on me, and ran for it, easy." She shook her  
head. "But he doesn't have anything useful at all." Nabiki frowned and  
finally checked Yusaku's breathing and pulse. "He'll be fine, lucky  
little bastard. Next time, Lorelei, swing harder."  
  
Lorelei flushed. "I didn't want to kill him! I couldn't do that...  
that would make me as bad as him and Godai." She hung her head,  
whispering. "Not that I'm not guilty of worse."  
  
Nabiki pretended not to hear, and sat back. "Well... if Godai gets  
back before Yusaku wakes up... and we can get him to come in here... you  
can clobber him too, and take his EMP whatchamacalit and zap me."  
  
Lorelei looked around at the broken marionette on the floor,  
Yusaku's body, and the hole in the wall just outside the doorway. "I  
think he'll figure out something is wrong."  
  
Nabiki nodded, following Lorelei's gaze. "True... but if we can get  
him to come in quick, it might still work. He'll be counting on me to  
help him, right? And if he brings in any other marionettes, I'll stop  
them, so...."  
  
Lorelei nodded slowly. "Its possible... but there are so many  
things that could go wrong."  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "Then we'll just have to make sure nothing goes  
wrong."  
  
************************  
  
Akane approached the Kuno estate cautiously, Cherry and Bloodberry  
just behind her. "The entrance is right there." She told them,  
pointing. I'm not sure where they'd keep Lorelei, or if she's even  
here."  
  
Cherry frowned. "Did they have any place where the security was any  
higher than any other?"  
  
Akane hesitated. "Well... I found their main computer in the  
basement... but I kind of smashed it."  
  
Cherry blinked. "I see. Well, that should be a good place to  
start. We may have to search the whole building."  
  
Bloodberry gestured to the mansion impatiently. "So what are we  
waiting for? Let's get going!"  
  
Akane nodded. "Right, I'll show you the way." She headed quickly  
for the front door and tried it. "It's locked!"  
  
Bloodberry shrugged. "Not a problem, I'll just knock it down...."  
  
Cherry held up a hand. "Why don't you allow me." She went to the  
door and pulled some metal devices attached to cords from out of her  
arm. "This should only take a moment...." Just over ten seconds later  
the door lock popped open and Cherry pulled the door wide. "See? No  
problem at all."  
  
Akane blinked at Chery's actions but then she moved in past her.  
"Let's hurry. I want to find Lorelei quickly so we can go help rescue  
Ranma." The short haired marionette led Cherry and Bloodberry toward  
the stairs, but on the way down the hall they were intercepted by a pair  
of spear wielding marionettes who charged out of a side passage.  
Bloodberry and Cherry didn't hesitate, but jumped forward to meet them.  
  
"Go on ahead, Akane!" Cherry shouted. "We'll cover you!"  
  
Akane nodded and slipped by the embattled marionettes, reaching the  
stairs easily, she ripped open the door, leaving it hanging crazily on  
its hinges, then paused, looking back. Bloodberry had her attacker by  
the throat, but seemed to be having difficulty hanging on as the Cherry  
Blossom marionette was executing a skillful escape technique. Cherry  
was on the defensive, dodging back as the second Cherry Blossom attacked  
with fists and feet, having been disarmed right at the outset.  
  
Bloodberry noticed her pausing, and shot her a glance. "Akane, keep  
going! We can handle these two! Whoa...!" With her momentary  
distraction, the Cherry Blossom managed to break Bloodberry's hold and  
sweep her legs out from under her. Bloodberry just barely managed to  
block when the marionette followed the leg sweep up with a flying  
stomp. "These ones are tough!"  
  
Cherry nodded. "They've been upgraded with some new combat  
program...." She barely managed to continue dodging as her attacked  
drove her back. "... and I've never seen anything like it before...  
except...."  
  
Akane jumped in, knocking the marionette that was attacking Cherry  
to the side and away. "They're using Ranma's moves." She stepped in  
between Cherry and the sentry as it bounced off a nearby wall and  
vaulted back in their direction. "How is that possible?"  
  
Cherry stood back and watched as Akane blocked the Kuno's sentry's  
attacks, analyzing their patterns of movement. "You're right, Akane,  
there is an 83% correlation between Ranma's pattern of attack and  
theirs. Too high to be a coincidence."  
  
Akane grunted and started to retreat, going on the defensive. "If  
so, they might have a weak spot."  
  
Cherry glanced over and noted that Bloodberry was still holding her  
own, and kept scanning. "What is that?"  
  
Akane jumped back away from the Cherry Blossom marionette and went  
into a defensive posture. "Ranma almost never attacks. When he does,  
he usually lets himself open... just a little. Ranma prefers to react  
to his opponents and wait for them to make a mistake."  
  
Cherry blinked. "It looks like you're right." Akane's opponent had  
also gone into a defensive stance, and was waiting for Akane to make the  
next move. "Bloodberry, did you hear that?"  
  
Bloodberry nodded, and jumped away from her opponent, then quickly  
bounded over toward Akane before it could follow. "You're right. Every  
time I attack, it counters... but when I'm on the defensive, it lets  
up."  
  
The two marionettes got together facing Akane and Bloodberry, both  
in identical combat stances. Neither one had bothered to pick up its  
weapon after dropping it, not that it seemed to make any difference.  
  
Cherry continued to scan. "Any ideas how we can beat them?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "I don't know! I've never managed to beat  
Ranma in a fair fight. It's all I can do to touch him sometimes." Her  
eyes narrowed slightly. "I think we're faster than they are, though. I  
nearly got through a couple times. She actually had to block me."  
  
Bloodberry nodded. "Stronger too. These are from the last  
generation of combat sabers. We're built a lot better."  
  
Cherry suddenly glanced to the side. "No more time to discuss it.  
I'm picking up two more marionettes heading this way quickly."  
  
Akane grimaced. "I don't want to hurt them. What do we do?"  
  
Bloodberry glanced incredulously at her. "After what you did to  
Cherry? These things aren't alive anyway. What's stopping you?"  
  
Cherry put her hand on Akane's shoulder. "I understand, Akane, but  
these marionettes are not sentient like we are. They're just machines,  
and they'll destroy us if we don't stop them. Please help up save  
Lorelei."  
  
Akane nodded firmly. "Alright. I'll do it."  
  
Two more marionettes ran around the corner behind them and Akane  
charged forward with a yell, Bloodberry a step behind. A bluish aura  
sprang up around Akane and she broke through the Cherry Blossom's  
defenses with a fierce uppercut, knocking it through the ceiling and out  
of sight. Bloodberry feinted toward her opponent, then dodged as it  
attacked, catching its fist in one hand and holding tight. She went  
into a contest of strength with the marionette, forcing its arm back.  
The Cherry Blossom struck out with its free hand and Bloodberry caught  
that as well. With a heave, the strongest of Otaru's marionettes  
snapped both of the Cherry Blossom's arms off and booted her through the  
wall.  
  
"Ha!" She shouted. "Just took some good old brute force!"  
  
Cherry jumped in the path of the two sentries that were almost upon  
them and put her hands up defensively. "I could use some help here?"  
  
Bloodberry whipped around and took a stance next to the smaller  
marionette. "I've got you covered, Cherry."  
  
Akane tried not to think about the fate of the marionette Bloodberry  
had defeated and turned to help as well. "OK, lets try double teaming  
them this time."  
  
Cherry waved her back. "I'm ready for them this time, Akane. Go on  
ahead. Perhaps they have a backup computer near where you destroyed  
their main. If you take that out, these marionettes will all stop  
functioning."  
  
Akane nodded. "Right. Try to hold on for a minute or two." She  
turned away and headed down the stairs at a run.  
  
Cherry glanced at Bloodberry, who grinned and cracked her knuckles  
eagerly. "No problem. I haven't had a good fight in months."  
  
Cherry blinked. "What about against Ranma?"  
  
Bloodberry frowned. "That didn't count. She was too fast for me to  
get a hand on her."  
  
Cherry smiled back. "Until I outsmarted her that is."  
  
Bloodberry glared down at Cherry. "You just got lucky. If Panther  
and I hadn't have been right there she would have gotten away for  
sure." The two Cherry Blossom marionettes moved in while their  
opponents were seemingly distracted. When they were about to attack,  
however, Bloodberry backhanded the one coming at her at the same time as  
Cherry went to the floor and swept the legs of it's counterpart.  
Bloodberry turned to face her opponent as it bounced back to its feet,  
waggling her finger at it in disapproval. "Uh uh uh!" She shook her  
head. "Haven't you ever heard about radar? Looks like you two need  
another upgrade."  
  
Akane reached the room that had held the large computer she had  
destroyed only a day or so earlier. The computer was still in pieces,  
and Akane looked around for any clue to where there might be a backup  
system for it. A large bunch of cables snaked from it into a nearby  
wall, and Akane frowned to herself, then approached it, checking up and  
down the wall for entrances.  
  
"No door here... I'm not a mechanic... but I don't think that's a  
power cable. Maybe it connects up to the Kuno's backup computer?"  
Akane raised a fist and aimed for the middle of the wall. "Only one way  
to find out." With a battle cry, Akane smashed through the wall,  
surprising herself with the size of the hole she had made. "Wow... I  
really am strong, aren't I." Stepping through, Akane saw what appeared  
to be a computer council with a chair pulled up to it, and several  
television monitors above. The camera's showed Cherry and Bloodberry in  
the corridor, fighting with what appeared to be four sentry marionettes,  
as well as several empty corridors, and one picture of a blond haired  
woman in a destroyed bedroom, talking with what appeared to be....  
  
"Nabiki?" Akane blinked. "She's alright? She's here!" Akane  
peered at the screen, noting the body of Yusaku Kuno laying on the  
floor, as well as another one of the Kuno's marionettes, which seemed to  
be damaged. Akane glanced back at the monitor showing Cherry and  
Bloodberry fighting and frowned. "I've got to help them first... but if  
I just destroy this computer, how will I find Nabiki and Lorelei?" The  
short haired girl sighed and picked up the chair. "I guess I don't have  
any real choice." Closing her eyes, Akane brought the chair smashing  
down on the computer again and again until there was nothing but rubble,  
then dropped what was left of the chair and went back out through the  
hole she had made.  
  
Akane raced to the stairs and ran back up, only to find Bloodberry  
and Cherry already on the way down. "Good work, Akane." The short  
purple haired marionette said smiling. "They all dropped just a moment  
ago."  
  
Akane sighed in relief. "Oh good." She pointed down the stairs.  
"I saw a monitor with a woman with blond hair on it... she was with my  
sister. Is that Lorelei?"  
  
Cherry blinked. "Your sister is called Nabiki, right? She was with  
Lorelei?"  
  
Akane nodded. "They looked like they were talking. They're in a  
bedroom somewhere... it's all broken up, and Yusaku is there with them.  
He's laying on the floor, and so is one of those guard marionettes."  
  
Bloodberry spoke up quickly. "Do you know where that is?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't recognize it. There are  
a lot of rooms in this place, and I had to smash that computer to to  
save you."  
  
Cherry nodded. "You did the right thing. We'll just have to search  
room to room until we find her." She pointed back up the stairs.  
"Akane, you search the first floor, and Bloodberry, start on the second  
floor. I'll look around down here. With their backup computer down, we  
shouldn't have any more trouble with guards."  
  
Akane and Bloodberry nodded and ran off, and Cherry continued down  
the stairs, her sensors scanning the walls around her carefully.  
  
**************************  
  
Akane had passed though most of the ground floor before finally  
noticing a large hole in a wall opposite a door that stood open. She  
ran up to the open door and peered in, breaking into a smile as she  
spotted her sister and a blond woman she assumed to be Lorelei.  
  
"Nabiki!" Akane started through the door, her arms out. "You're  
alright!"  
  
Nabiki turned toward her with a start, her face turning into a  
terrified mask. "Akane... stay back! Don't come any closer!"  
  
Akane halted just inside the doorway. "What? Why? What's wrong?"  
  
Nabiki put her hands out as if to ward Akane away. "Just don't come  
into the room. If you do, I'll hurt you, Akane! Just stay where you  
are."  
  
The woman next to Nabiki nodded quickly. "Nabiki is telling the  
truth. She's programmed to stop anyone from entering the room."  
  
Akane hesitated. "Programmed? Nabiki, what happened to you? Are  
you alright? What is going on here?"  
  
Nabiki took a deep breath. "It's a long story. I was waiting for  
you and Ranma in the alley when Godai showed up with a bunch of these  
marionettes. They herded me to Godai, and he used some sort of device  
to knock me out."  
  
Lorelei nodded in understanding. "An EMP caster. He used the same  
thing on Ranma in the palace."  
  
Akane looked worried. "Ranma, is he... er, is she alright?"  
  
Lorelei blinked. "I'm afraid I don't know for sure.... Is there  
some reason you called Ranma a he?"  
  
Cherry's voice came up from down the corridor. "I was wondering the  
same thing, actually, Lorelei-sama." She came up to Akane looking  
curious. "You used masculine terms to refer to Ranma several times  
earlier. Why?"  
  
Akane blinked, looking from Cherry to Lorelei. "Er...." She  
glanced at Nabiki for help, but the mercenary Tendo just shrugged  
helplessly. Akane wracked her brains for a good excuse. "Um... well  
Ranma tends to... um... crossdress. Yeah, she crossdresses all the  
time! She acts so much like a boy sometimes, you'd almost think she was  
one!" She laughed nervously. Please buy it, please buy it... please  
don't think I'm crazy....  
  
Lorelei blinked. "Oh. Well, Ranma did seem very tomboyish when I  
met her. It's not a big deal when a girl dresses up like a boy, anyway,  
at least it wasn't in my time." She smiled wryly. "Of course, it's not  
quite so common here. Given that there really aren't any other girls  
here on Terra Two." Lorelei shrugged. "I dress up in pants from time  
to time myself."  
  
Cherry started to move past Akane. "Lorelei-sama, we should get you  
to a safe place as soon as possible...."  
  
Akane held out an arm to stop her. "Wait! Nabiki is programmed  
to...." She looked at her sister for confirmation.  
  
Nabiki quickly held up her hands. "I have to stop anyone who tries  
to enter this room, save Godai and Yusaku. I also have orders to keep  
Lorelei prisoner here, as well as to protect Yusaku."  
  
Cherry blinked. "I don't understand. Do you want to keep Lorelei a  
prisoner?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "No! But I've been programmed to obey  
anything either of the Kunos tell me to do. If I don't do as they say,  
I lose control of my body and end up doing it anyway."  
  
Cherry frowned. "That doesn't sound good." She turned to the blond  
haired scientist standing just behind Nabiki. "Lorelei-sama, do you  
have any ideas? Can we do anything about Nabiki's programming?"  
  
Lorelei wrinkled her nose. "Well, if you could hold her down, I  
might be able to disable the program. I tried earlier, but Nabiki's  
also been programmed to prevent anyone from tampering with her systems."  
  
Cherry nodded. "I understand. Well, with Bloodberry's help, we  
might be able to do that."  
  
On cue, the tall red haired marionette came around the corner. "Did  
someone say my name?"  
  
Cherry smiled. "Good, now we can do it. Bloodberry, it's like  
this...." Quickly Cherry filled Bloodberry in on the situation then  
took Akane by the wrist. "I think we should have a little talk out of  
earshot."  
  
Nabiki nodded, grinning. "So I don't overhear? Good idea. If the  
computer that's controlling me knew what you were planning, it might try  
and do something about it." Cherry nodded and took Akane and Bloodberry  
back around the corner.  
  
Lorelei looked worried. "I hope they aren't planning on hurting  
you, Nabiki-san. I know that this isn't your fault."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "If it means getting my body back, I don't  
care what they have to do...." She looked at Lorelei in concern. "You  
can... put me back together afterwards... right?"  
  
Lorelei nodded firmly, putting a reassuring hand on the brown haired  
marionette's shoulder. "I promise, Nabiki. I'll fix you as good as  
new, no matter what happens."  
  
Nabiki smiled wanly. "Thanks. For all it's worth, Lorelei-san, I'm  
glad I met you. Take care of Akane for me, OK?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "You'll be around to do that, Nabiki.  
Trust in Cherry. She'll save you, and me."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "I hope so."  
  
Cherry called out into the room. "Lorelei-sama, please move to the  
far wall. Nabiki-san, if you could, try not to watch the door."  
  
Lorelei patted Nabiki's shoulder once more and moved quickly to the  
far wall. "I'm ready!" She called out.  
  
Nabiki forced herself to face away from the door, then crossed her  
arms, hugging herself tightly. "I'm facing away from the door." She  
reported. "Hey, Lorelei. Which one is Cherry?" She asked quietly.  
  
"Cherry is the shorter one in the pink." Lorelei told her.  
"Bloodberry is the one with the red hair."  
  
Just then, a thick cloud of smoke billowed into the room, obscuring  
Nabiki's vision. She tried to remain still, but her programming kicked  
in, making her turn around to face the threat. A large blanket flew  
into her face, blinding her further. Her body went into action,  
flinging the blanket away and looking for intruders, but even as she did  
so, three bodies slammed into her, bearing her too the floor. Akane  
grabbed on to one arm and Bloodberry the other, while Cherry tried to  
get at the back of her neck, holding a long pin. Nabiki cheered them on  
internally as her body struggled against her attackers. Seconds later  
everything went black.  
  
Lorelei coughed, waving her hand in front of her face to clear the  
air. "Did you do it? You didn't damage her too badly, did you?"  
  
Cherry stood up, brushing herself off. "I switched her off,  
Lorelei-sama. Nabiki is almost completely undamaged."  
  
Lorelei breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. Now, we need  
to get back to the palace as quickly as possible. Godai Kuno plans on  
taking over Japoness in my absence, and destroying the baby girl clones  
as soon as he can get away with it. He planned on using me as a  
bargaining chip, and selling off my DNA to the highest bidder, once I am  
the only source of female DNA again." Cherry, Akane and Bloodberry all  
paled at that.  
  
Akane's eyes were wide. "He's a monster! He'd kill babies?"  
  
Lorelei nodded grimly. "There's no time to lose. Who knows what  
he's doing at this moment?"  
  
***************************  
  
Godai Kuno shook his head angrily for the third time. "No, I  
refuse. Otaru Mamiya is not permitted back in the palace at this time.  
He is to continue to look for the rogues, that is all." Tamasaburo and  
Baiko both seemed to hesitate slightly before nodding.  
  
"Very well." Tamasaburo answered. "We will inform Otaru-san of  
this." She turned to go, Baiko following just after her.  
  
Godai frowned at their backs as he watched them go, then turned back  
to his computer monitor, switching it's screen back to the outside  
camera, where Otaru and two of his Marionettes had been standing while  
waiting to be let in.  
  
"There are only two sabers with him." He muttered to himself.  
"Where are Otaru's other three?" Godai started flipping from camera to  
camera, checking the interior corridors of the palace one by one. "Why  
does Otaru wish to see me? Does he suspect what I'm doing?" He pressed  
a button that would let him see the room he had placed Ranma's body in,  
and blinked. "No...." The diagnostic bed he had placed Ranma on was  
empty, the straps that had been holding her down removed, and the door  
to the room was wide open.  
  
"How?" Godai fumed. "How did she escape? I'm sure she was fully  
deactivated...." Frowning, Godai switched the screen back to the camera  
on the outer gate. No one was there. A moment later Tamasaburo and  
Baiko stepped outside, looking around for Otaru, but obviously not  
seeing him. Even as the palace's two head security marionettes turned  
to go back inside, Godai slammed his hands down on the desk in  
frustration. "He did this. Otaru Mamiya must have taken Ranma from the  
lab. He suspects something. I have to act before he learns the truth."  
  
The elder Kuno pressed a button that would summon the palace  
security to his room. "This must be dealt with, and swiftly."  
  
*******************************  
  
Lynx laid Ranma down in the back of the alley where she and Otaru  
had decided to meet and waited. Before long, Otaru, Lime and Panther  
came running up and hurried into the alleyway with her.  
  
Otaru beamed at Lynx. "Good work, Lynx. You got her out! Did you  
have any luck finding out what he's been up to in there?"  
  
Lynx nodded. "General Kuno has been having the maintenance people  
upgrade the combat computers on all the Orange Blossom marionettes.  
That was all I was able to discover." She nodded to Ranma. "Do you  
want me to reactivate her? There is some risk, as we may not be able to  
contain her once she awakens."  
  
Otaru hesitated. "I know, but... I trust Akane. I'm not really  
sure why, but I think she told us the truth. Ranma has the memories of  
a girl from the past in her, and Godai is definitely up to something.  
She may be very skilled at the martial arts, but I don't think she'll  
hurt anyone if they're not trying to hurt her first. Remember the  
fight? She could have done a lot more damage than she did. She might  
have killed me when she had the chance, but all she did was try to stop  
us."  
  
Panther frowned. "But that was before I put a hole through her  
friend Akane's shoulder, and before we captured her."  
  
Otaru shook his head. "It doesn't matter, I don't see any other way  
to confirm Akane's story than by waking Ranma up. We're going to have  
to take that chance."  
  
Lynx nodded. "I understand, Otaru." She sat Ranma up against a  
wall and pressed a pair of subtle contacts on her neck, opening it up.  
She reached in, pressed a switch, then closed her neck up and stood  
back. "There, she should wake up any...."  
  
Ranma awoke with a start, her hands coming up defensively and her  
eyes darting around wildly. "What's going on? Where...?" Seeing the  
people around her, Ranma scrambled to her feet and got into a defensive  
stance. "OK, if you want a fight, I'm ready."  
  
Otaru took a slow step forward. "We don't want a fight, Ranma. Can  
we talk?"  
  
Ranma blinked twice before answering intelligently. "Huh?"  
  
Lime giggled. "She talks just like I do!"  
  
Otaru glanced at Lime for a second before looking back at Ranma.  
"She does sound a bit like you, Lime."  
  
Ranma blinked again. "OK... now I'm confused. Weren't we fighting  
a minute ago?"  
  
Otaru shook his head. "No, you've been turned off for several hours  
already. We just turned you back on a moment ago."  
  
Ranma glanced at the sky and blanched. "Oh my god... it's been that  
long?" She started backing away from the other marionettes. "Fine,  
we're not fighting, great... but I have to leave now."  
  
Otaru took another step forward. "Wait! If you're going to meet  
Akane, she's not there anymore!"  
  
Ranma stopped dead and turned towards Otaru slowly. "Where is  
she?" She said with deathly stillness. "Where is Akane?"  
  
Otaru raised his hands defensively. "She's fine! We talked to her  
and found out what the Kuno's did... and we know you didn't kidnap  
Lorelei."  
  
Ranma frowned. "You bet I didn't. It was Godai! He pointed some  
weird looking box at me and I couldn't move! He had some sort of  
control over Nabiki, and he took Lorelei with him."  
  
Otaru grimaced. "Damn it! I knew I shouldn't trust him! We've got  
to rescue her right away!"  
  
Ranma nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she didn't deserve to get  
kidnapped. He's got her and Nabiki... and he's making Nabiki do what he  
says somehow." Her eyes narrowed. "But you haven't answered my  
question. Where is Akane?"  
  
Otaru put his hands out again. "Calm down. We figured out Godai  
was up to something, so Akane went with Bloodberry and Panther to check  
out the Kuno's mansion. We came and got you out the palace at the same  
time."  
  
Ranma looked impressed. "Akane got you guys to do all that? Wow,  
she really came though." She frowned again. "But her arm's busted!  
She can't go and rescue anyone like that!"  
  
Otaru shook his head. "No, no. A friend of ours fixed her arm.  
She's as good as new. Now tell me about Nabiki. You say Kuno was  
controlling her?"  
  
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, she was acting just like the other  
marionettes... like a robot or something. I'm really worried about  
her."  
  
Otaru nodded. "OK, then we should head over to the Kuno's mansion  
and see if they need any help...."  
  
Lynx interrupted. "Otaru-sama, I am detecting three saber  
marionettes coming in this general direction. They were headed toward  
the palace, but they have changed course and are heading toward us  
now... ETA, five seconds."  
  
Otaru, Panther and Ranma all turned in the direction Lynx was  
facing. Seconds later they were greeted by the sight of Cherry leading  
Bloodberry and Akane into the alleyway. Bloodberry had Lorelei cradled  
to her chest, and Akane held Nabiki the same way.  
  
Cherry smiled as she came to a stop. "I told you I sensed them over  
here! Otaru-sama, we rescued Lorelei!"  
  
Otaru grinned broadly. "Great work! Lorelei, how are you feeling?"  
  
Lorelei let Bloodberry help her to her feet and she tried not to  
wobble. "A little motion sick... but otherwise I'm fine. Thanks to  
Bloodberry, Cherry, and Akane, of course." She had on Yusaku's  
clothing, and looked cheerful.  
  
Ranma came forward to Akane quickly. "Hey, what's wrong with  
Nabiki? She's not hurt bad, is she?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "No... we had to switch her off though. Kuno  
programmed her to obey his every command, and she was supposed to be  
guarding Lorelei. Lorelei says she can fix her as soon as we get her  
back to her lab."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "I should be able to disconnect the control  
computer that's controlling her functions at this point. The process  
shouldn't be too difficult."  
  
Ranma blinked. "Er... yeah, sounds great. So, now what? Do we  
just go back to the palace, or what?"  
  
Otaru grinned. "Yes. I can't wait to see General Kuno's face when  
we bring Lorelei back, just before we arrest him for kidnapping!"  
Cherry and Lynx both looked up suddenly, and turned around, just in time  
to see Tamasaburo and Baiko drop down from the rooftops. The two  
amazonian palace guards stood there impassively for a moment before  
speaking.  
  
"The actual charge would be high treason against the state." Baiko  
stated calmly. Charges that will be brought against Godai Kuno as soon  
as we get back to report."  
  
Tamasaburo looked at Lorelei carefully. "Are you in good health,  
Lorelei?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "I am fine, thanks to Akane, Cherry and  
Bloodberry." She gestured to Akane and Ranma. "They are as much the  
Kuno's victims as I was. Ranma, Akane and Nabiki all have the memories  
of women of the past. Their maiden circuits function perfectly, as far  
as I've been able to determine. The Kuno's have been trying to get them  
back in order to hide what they had done with them." She went over to  
Akane and put her hand on her shoulder. "It isn't right for them to put  
such controls on you. You're sentient beings, and you should be treated  
as such."  
  
Akane looked up gratefully. "Thank you, Lorelei-san."  
  
All around them, Orange Blossom marionettes started to drop down  
from the rooftops. Ranma and Akane paled, while the others just watched  
unconcerned.  
  
Baiko glanced at her reinforcements. "Now we will escort Lorelei  
back to the palace, and take Godai Kuno into custody."  
  
Akane spoke up. "You should get Yusaku too! He was behind it as  
well."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Yes, it's true. Bloodberry, where did you put  
him?"  
  
Bloodberry grinned widely. "After I borrowed his clothing for you,  
I just tied him to that bed with all the stuff I found in that closet  
next to it."  
  
Lorelei blinked, then had to suppress a giggle, picturing the  
pompous young man tied to a bed with women's undergarments. "I see.  
Well... I think you should go collect him as soon as we deal with the  
main problem... Godai.  
  
One of the Orange Blossom marionette's stepped forward. "I'm afraid  
I can't allow that, Dr. Lorelei." It said in an older male voice.  
"None of you will be allowed to reach the palace."  
  
Ranma recognized the voice immediately, "Godai! You old, fat  
bastard, I'm going to get you. Count on it!"  
  
Godai laughed through his puppeted marionette. "I think not.  
Orange Blossoms, destroy all of them except Lorelei, she is not to be  
harmed."  
  
The Orange Blossoms' eye blinked red, and a moment later they all  
charged.  
  
End Chapter 8  
  
Please C&C, it's why I write!  
  
You can find all the previous Chapters to this at:  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/1449/fanfics.html  
  
  



	10. 9

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru,  
Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi... or practically all of them,  
anyway. The title is stolen from Heinlein... with one letter s added.  
  
Strangers in a Strange Land  
Chapter 9  
  
Akane and Ranma went into defensive stances between the nearest  
Orange Blossom marionettes and where Nabiki lay. Lorelei, remembering  
the tape of their fight against Otaru's group, got quickly behind them  
as well, crouching protectively directly over Nabiki. Lime, Cherry and  
Bloodberry jumped in front of Otaru and stood side by side as the Orange  
Blossoms charged them. Lynx and Panther glanced at each other then at  
the space in the alley behind the small group and jumped into position  
back there, facing off with the few Orange Blossoms that had gotten  
behind the small group.  
  
The Orange Blossoms had mostly landed just outside the alleyway, and  
they moved in all directions as they came forward, spreading out, each  
one finding its own angle to attack from. Tamasaburo and Baiko went  
back to back immediately, watching the Orange Blossoms around them with  
suspicion. Their caution was rewarded as they were almost instantly  
beset from all sides. Both of the Amazonian marionettes drew their  
weapons, a pair of energy swords and a wickedly keen bisento, and they  
started spinning in a complicated combined defensive maneuver that held  
off the Orange Blossoms around them, at least at first.  
  
Baiko spoke quietly enough so that only her partner could hear. "Do  
we defend Lorelei?" She calmly batted away three bisento headed for her  
chest, and cut one of their wielder's in half.  
  
Tamasaburo answered equally softly. "She is adequately defended,  
and not currently under attack. Our priority is to make sure she stays  
that way." Tamasaburo tripped one of her attackers into its companion,  
and knocked a third's weapon out of its hands.  
  
"Agreed." Baiko nodded very slightly while executing a perfect 360  
with both of her swords fanning out in all directions. "Our attackers  
will most likely follow their orders as given, and attempt to destroy us  
first before attempting any other action."  
  
Tamasaburo nodded back, following along with Baiko's manuver so  
perfectly that they seemed like one piece. "So to prevent them from  
taking Lorelei, we should prevent them from completing their first  
mission."  
  
Baiko nodded again. "Agreed. Flight would seem in order."  
  
Tamasaburo shouted in the direction of the alleyway. "Cherry, Lynx,  
jam the signal from the palace!"  
  
******************  
  
In his control room in the center of Castle Japoness, Godai slammed  
his hands angrily into the desk as his screen showing the fight from the  
viewpoint of one of the Orange Blossoms faded into static. "Damn it!  
What do they think they're doing?" He shook his head in denial.  
"Whatever it is, it won't work. They're outnumbered almost five to one  
out there. With my new combat computers in the Cherry Blossoms, they  
should have no chance of victory."  
  
He sat at his desk and frowned to himself. "Still, perhaps I should  
send a unit in at a distance, and have it report back without  
engaging." Godai nodded. "Yes, and just in case one of them does make  
it this far, I should prepare to receive guests."  
  
*******************  
  
From the very first moment of the fight, Ranma had been feeling off  
balance. She was unaccustomed to working as a team, not to mention  
holding a particular spot of ground against a determined attacker.  
Ranma was much more used to taking the fight "on the road" going  
wherever the fight took her. She was holding her own, however, as her  
attackers seemed to be having much the same problem as she did.  
  
The Orange Blossoms had abandoned group combat techniques at the  
outset, and were attacking as individuals. One on one, they were  
considerably more formidable, but as a group, they tended to get in each  
other's way. That was all that saved the small band they were attacking  
at first. Lime, Cherry, Bloodberry and Otaru made an excellent team, as  
did Lynx and Panther, knowing how best to work as a unit. Ranma and  
Akane worked less smoothly together, but with their greater skill, they  
made up for it, especially Ranma.  
  
Lorelei watched in awe and terror as an incredibly high-speed fight  
was carried on just feet from her, Nabiki and Otaru. The young man had  
his Jitte out and was on his guard, and after several long moments when  
Lorelei was sure that the Orange Blossoms would finally break through  
their guardian's line, one finally did, vaulting off a nearby wall and  
into the center of the group. Otaru managed to somehow parry the first  
incredibly swift blow, and the second, his knee being forced into the  
pavement at the force of the attack.  
  
Lorelei flinched as the marionette attacked a third time, but  
instead the Orange Blossom went flying as Bloodberry grabbed it by the  
back of the neck and pulled it away, then promptly started using it like  
an unwieldy club. Lorelei turned to watch as, amazingly, the marionette  
in Bloodberry's hands brought its legs around to attempt to free its  
head from her grasp. Bloodberry once more applied her "brute force"  
solution, and tore the unfortunate marionette's head clean from its  
shoulders before it could complete it's escape. Tossing her now limp  
club at two of her attackers, the fierce red headed marionette went back  
on the defensive as more Orange Blossoms came in to take their place.  
  
Lime fought with relish, smiling as she ducked a bisento, laughing  
as she jumped over a pair of marionette's charging her. These ones  
know some neat moves! Lime thought cheerfully as she fought to defend  
the people she loved most in the world.  
  
Cherry could feel Lime's good humor and let it lift her own  
spirits. Godai made a mistake, his new program doesn't work as well in  
a group situation, and that's where we're at our best! If he had waited  
until we were separated he might have had a chance, but at this rate  
we'll win this! She heard Tamasaburo's request for jamming and nodded,  
doing her best to scramble all the outgoing frequencies. She could feel  
Lynx doing the same and smiled, guessing the two palace guards' plan.  
  
Tamasaburo and Baiko leapt toward the rooftops, taking a full dozen  
Orange Blossom marionettes with them and leaving another two lying inert  
on the ground. It didn't take any of their immediate attackers away  
from them, but cut down their reinforcements considerably. With a few  
more losses, it might be possible for them to escape as well.  
  
Cherry counted the remaining Orange Blossoms and grinned. Just  
four to one now, and none of us are damaged. We'll win for sure unless  
something unforeseen occurs. Cherry blocked another series of attacks  
from the two Orange Blossoms currently attacking her. I think I've  
almost got their pattern. If I'm right, the one on the left is about to  
try an Ax kick.... The marionette in question did indeed throw her leg  
up high and Cherry moved in to take advantage of her drop in guard. But  
instead of completing the kick, the Orange Blossom instead dropped to  
her back and twirled, knocking Cherry hard in the side with one  
outstretched foot, then the other.  
  
Ranma swore internally as he leapt to Cherry's defense, holding off  
half a dozen Orange Blossoms at once for the precious seconds Cherry  
needed to recover and move back. "Anything goes is about finding out  
your opponent's weak spots and using them against them." Ranma  
explained quickly, once again fighting side by side with Akane. "Don't  
think you've figured out what they're going to do, cause they ain't ever  
going to do the same thing twice, got it?"  
  
Cherry nodded, blocking a noticeably different attack combination  
with difficulty. "So the whole point is to learn from your mistakes and  
then win?"  
  
Ranma shrugged a fraction, dropping low to duck a punch while  
kicking out at an ankle at the same time. "It's always about winning.  
The Anything Goes school is adaptive, using different moves against each  
opponent, and if one thing doesn't work, you try another." The kick to  
the knee turned out to be a feint, and Ranma ended up doing a handstand  
to kick his target in the face instead, throwing it back into the  
marionette behind it.  
  
Cherry kept her mind on the fight but tried to analyze what he  
said. "So you're saying they don't have any weaknesses?"  
  
Ranma shook her head, bouncing back to her feet and blocking another  
series of attacks. "Nah, if you beat em right away it won't matter what  
they've learned. Bloodberry's figured that much out."  
  
Bloodberry laughed grimly. "Well if it doesn't get back up, it's  
not going to be learning, now is it?"  
  
Cherry frowned. "So we should attack all out? Not give them a  
chance to learn from their mistakes?"  
  
Ranma shook her head. "No, the Saotome School especially is based  
off defense. If you attack full strength they'll just defend and wait  
for an opening."  
  
Cherry swore quietly. "Damn it, isn't there anything that will  
work?"  
  
Ranma shrugged. "We're doing it. You've already seen they aren't  
so hot at working together. You guys are great at it, so we just gotta  
hold on a bit more."  
  
Akane growled at Ranma and threw an Orange Blossom in her  
direction. "Duck!" Ranma dropped and the marionette flew over her head  
to crash into one that had been about to attack Ranma from the side.  
"Less talking, more fighting, Ranma!"  
  
Ranma grinned. "That's my tomboy." Akane growled and swung another  
Orange Blossom at him, which Ranma grabbed and started using as a club,  
imitating Bloodberry. "Thanks, Akane! I've been waiting to try this  
one."  
  
Akane rolled her eyes and went back on the defensive, blocking  
another attack a moment later. Idiot. He's treating this fight like  
it's a big game. They're trying to kill us! She ducked and  
elbow-smashed her attacker, then flinched as a second Orange Blossom  
nearly caught her from the side. Ranma side kicked the marionette  
threatening Akane just before it managed to grab her, and Akane went  
back to her own fight. Ranma is always looking out for me though, no  
matter what.  
  
The ranks of their attackers were thinning, but at the same time the  
Orange Blossoms seemed to be using more and more effective maneuvers as  
the fight wore on. They're taking a lot longer to adapt than Ranma  
does. Akane realized. But they have a lot more time because there  
are so many of them. Are we going to win this?  
  
Tamasaburo and Baiko swept past the alleyway again, destroying a  
pair of Orange Blossoms as they swept by. A moment later ten of the  
Orange Blossoms that had chased them raced by as well, apparently not  
quite as fast as the two Amazons.  
  
Otaru nodded in relief, speaking reasuringly to Lorelei as he kept  
an eye out for any more Orange Blossoms that might get by the other  
marionettes. "Tamasaburo and Baiko are all right, and they're taking a  
lot of the fight away from us. Don't worry, we're going to make it."  
  
Lorelei nodded uncertainly then ducked over Nabiki's body as an  
Orange Blossom managed to get past Lynx and Panther to attack Otaru.  
"Otaru! Watch out!"  
  
Otaru was too busy fending off the marionette to answer. He managed  
to block the first three blows, but they drove him further and further  
off guard until the fourth blow managed to catch him in the ribs. If  
the Orange Blossoms had not for the most part abandoned their bisentos  
to attack them hand to hand he would have died right there, but as it  
was he nearly lost consciousness as the blow slammed him out of the  
circle and into the nearby wall.  
  
As one, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry called their master's name and  
started to glow. "OTARU!!!" Four of the Orange Blossoms had turned to  
attack the new target, but before they could strike, Otaru's three  
marionettes were there, scattering them like pinballs. They formed a  
defensive line around his body, their backs to the wall, and any  
marionette that got near was knocked flying.  
  
Ranma, Akane, Lynx and Panther suddenly found themselves hard  
pressed as their line collapsed and broke, suddenly degenerating into a  
vicious free for all as they fought to get back and protect Lorelei and  
Nabiki while the Orange Blossoms tried to separate and destroy them.  
  
Lorelei realized that none of the Orange Blossoms were attacking  
her, but one had lined up with a Bisento aimed at Nabiki. Just before  
it attacked she threw herself across Nabiki's body, trying to cover her  
completely with her own.  
  
"Help us!" Lorelei yelled frantically. "They're going to destroy  
Nabiki!"  
  
A bright blue battle aura sprung into life around Akane, and the  
Orange Blossoms around her suddenly started to go flying. Lynx and  
Panther fought with increasing desperation; both of them minorly wounded  
already, their bodies sparking slightly where they had taken hits.  
  
For Lynx, the entire fight had been one of desperation. Her combat  
computer's calculations had grown grimmer and grimmer as the fight wore  
on, and she knew precisely how much longer she had until she would be  
defeated.  
  
Panther didn't think much in a fight, and this one had proven no  
exception. She had lashed out again and again with fists and her  
laser. Her attacks slowly had become less and less likely to strike,  
but she had fought on regardless, caught up in the moment. Fighting was  
what she did best, and if she had to go down fighting, then that was  
fine with her.  
  
Otaru blinked and slowly tried to rise to his feet, doing his best  
to ignore his broken ribs. All around him his marionettes glowed  
brightly, moving with strength and speed he had only seen one other  
time, when they had finally mastered their Maiden Circuits fully for the  
first time. They were like guardian angels, and he felt safer than he  
had ever felt in his life. Then he heard Lorelei's cry and his heart  
nearly failed. He would live, but at what cost?  
  
For Ranma, everything else started to slow down as something clicked  
in her mind. Chi! They're using Chi! Why didn't I see it sooner!  
Somehow... somehow they're alive, and if they can use Chi, then I should  
be able to use it too! Ranma jumped into the air to buy herself some  
time, and started to concentrate on the space between her outstretched  
hands. "Moko...."  
  
Akane heard Ranma begin the attack and glanced up in shock. "No  
way!"  
  
Ranma grinned as the reddish ball of energy formed before him. I  
can do this! "... Takabisha!!!" She shot the blast over Lorelei and  
Nabiki's prone forms, sweeping away the half dozen Orange Blossoms that  
had been standing around them, about to attack, and carrying them the  
length of the alleyway, where they smashed into the fall wall and  
through it. As she landed Ranma felt for the first time a hint of  
fatigue. The blast had obviously taken something out of her, but it had  
worked!  
  
As half a dozen more Orange Blossoms moved in on her from every  
side, Ranma called out another attack. " Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Up  
to that point, Ranma's punching speed had been incredible, a function of  
her excellent construction as a Saber marionette, as well as her years  
of training which let her do each maneuver with a minimum of time and  
effort. Aided by her Chi, however, Ranma's punches quickly exceeded the  
speed of sound, and her attackers flew back, each having been hit by  
dozens of supersonic punches in just under a tenth of a second.  
  
Before much longer the battle was over. The last few Orange  
Blossoms, not programmed for retreat, were destroyed one by one by  
Otaru's raging trio, or Ranma and Akane, still powered up with Chi.  
Lorelei looked on in astonishment at the power of the small red headed  
Ranma in particular, her abilities having passed any theoretical limits  
Lorelei could have conceived of. That she was using her emotions as a  
weapon was not what was so surprising to her, it was that Ranma seemed  
to be able to channel that power so effectively, almost as if she had  
trained for that very purpose for years.  
  
Akane had been powered up much like Otaru's Sabers, using her inner  
energy to heighten her strength and speed almost unconsciously, but  
Ranma seemed to have complete control of her power, putting it to  
whatever use she required. Lorelei shook her head in amazement, then  
glanced down at Nabiki, recalling their conversation on the subject.  
  
"And to think I thought you were exaggerating." She muttered,  
smiling faintly. "I see now that you were being conservative in your  
descriptions, at the least!"  
  
Otaru staggered over to her, holding his ribs. "Lorelei... are you  
alright?"  
  
She nodded quickly. "I'm uninjured. You should have those ribs  
looked at, however." Lorelei glanced around in concern. "I have not  
seen Tamasaburo or Baiko for awhile now. I hope they've escaped their  
pursuers."  
  
Ranma and Akane came over as well, to check on Nabiki. "The two  
marionettes from the palace?" Ranma asked. "They'll be alright. Those  
two were pretty good. Not as good as me of course, but if they keep  
ahead of the bunch after them they should be fine."  
  
Akane came over to them and knelt by her sister to pick her up.  
"Lorelei-san, what should we do now?"  
  
Lorelei frowned. "I'm not quite sure. It seems that General Kuno  
has somehow managed to take over the palace's security marionettes. I'm  
not quite sure of the exact numbers, but that was around one third of  
them. I don't know if we can get into the palace safely if he controls  
all of them."  
  
Ranma nodded. "Then the only thing to do is find him and stop him  
so he can't order them around anymore."  
  
Lorelei nodded slowly. "Yes... but we'll have to be very careful.  
He may have underestimated you and the others up to now, but he's very  
intelligent. I'm sure he has some sort of back-up plan."  
  
Ranma nodded thoughtfully. "You're probably right. What we gotta  
do is force his hand, then pull the rug out from under him. Everybody  
gather round, I've got a plan...."  
  
*************************  
  
Godai Kuno watched the small group bunch together in discussion from  
the eyes of a marionette watching from a distance. "How could I have  
miscalculated that badly? I can hardly believe it's possible for anyone  
with only human experiences to have developed such power in the body of  
a marionette. It's those accursed Maiden Circuits.... I never should  
have used them. If only they had become loyal to me as they were  
supposed to. I just can't understand what could have gone wrong."  
  
The older man shook his head. "I don't have time to figure it out,  
I must be prepared for anything they try." He went back to watching the  
monitor. "Ah, they've started to move... and they're coming this way,  
excellent. With the increased resources I have here, I should be able  
to deal with those pests once and for all. I just have to come up with  
a proper cover story to get all the human personnel off of the grounds.  
I don't want to have to do too much cleaning up after this is all over."  
  
*************************  
  
Cherry and Lynx led the way, using their scanners to avoid any  
patrols from the palace, while at the same time attempting to locate  
Tamasaburo and Baiko. Akane carried Nabiki on her back, while Lorelei  
ran panting alongside Otaru, trying to keep up with the others. Cherry  
stopped suddenly, as they were about to round a corner near the palace,  
and everyone behind her was forced to stop as well.  
  
Cherry held up her hand. "There's a patrol about to pass by. We'll  
have to wait for about a minute before we can go on." She waved for  
everyone to move back a bit. "If we just get back a bit they'll miss us  
and go on." Everyone obediently stepped back and alongside the building  
they had been about to pass.  
  
Lorelei fought to catch her breath. "Otaru." She whispered.  
"Perhaps you should leave Nabiki and myself here... in this building  
perhaps. We'll get in the way if you take us with you."  
  
Otaru frowned. "But if we leave you behind, Godai might find you,  
and use you against us as hostages."  
  
Lorelei nodded slowly. "Until I am able to disengage Nabiki's  
control program, she will be a threat to you if Godai manages to turn  
her back on."  
  
Otaru shook his head in disapproval. "I'm more worried about him  
threatening to hurt you two. We can protect you better if you're with  
us."  
  
Lorelei smiled faintly. "I guess I'll just have to trust your  
judgment."  
  
A moment later Cherry waved at the group again. "OK, lets go.  
Follow me!" They slipped quickly across the street and headed for the  
palace again. Before too much longer they reached the outer wall. Lime  
scooped up Otaru and Bloodberry picked up Lorelei again, and the whole  
group jumped over. Cherry led them for the center building at a run.  
As they approached, a dozen Orange Blossom Marionettes ran out of the  
front doors and headed for them.  
  
Cherry didn't stop. "Follow me!" She yelled, and jumped up the  
building to the second tier of the palace. The group came quickly after  
her and she jumped again, this time to the third tier, the Orange  
Blossoms were now far behind, only now making the first leap. She  
jumped up again and again, until they were at the top of the castle.  
Cherry nodded to Lynx and Panther. "Slow them down for a bit."  
  
The two Saber Dolls nodded and turned to attack. Panther fired her  
laser down at the rooftop level the Orange Blossoms were about to reach,  
while Lynx threw a brace of knives. The knives exploded when they hit,  
blowing out a large section of roof, as did the laser, causing the  
Orange Blossoms to fall to the floor below.  
  
Meanwhile, Cherry had picked a section of wall and punched it in a  
precisely calculated spot. The wall shattered, giving them a wide  
entrance into the top floor of the palace. Everyone ran inside.  
Bloodberry and Lime put down their charges and the small group ran on  
into the heart of the fortress.  
  
Lorelei pointed down a hall helpfully. "The main security room is  
right this way. From there we should be able to override whatever Godai  
has managed to do to the security system." Cherry nodded and led the  
way down the hall quickly.  
  
They burst into the security room in a group. The room was  
deserted, but Cherry pointed at a nearby steel door. "It's an elevator,  
and it's almost to the basement."  
  
Lorelei frowned. "What would he want down there... unless...." She  
paled. "The children! We've got to stop him!"  
  
Cherry went to the main monitor and jacked in with her arm cords,  
connecting herself directly into the computer system. "General Kuno has  
overridden the main security systems with a virus. I should be able to  
restore normal commands in a minute."  
  
Lorelei frowned. "I hope we have that much time."  
  
Akane looked at the elevator. "This goes to where the baby girls  
are?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "The cloning chamber is in the lowest level. This  
is one of the few ways down there."  
  
Akane nodded laid Nabiki down, and stepped over to the elevator.  
"Then we have to get to him before he gets there, don't we?" She put  
her hands in between the elevator doors and forced them open. "So, what  
are we waiting for? Let's go!"  
  
Cherry hesitated, still connected to the machine. "Once I've gotten  
the security system back we can end this for sure. I think I should say  
here and finish up."  
  
Otaru frowned. "But you'll be in danger here if we leave you  
alone."  
  
Cherry shook her head. "In just a few more seconds I should be able  
to activate the internal defenses. That should buy us more than enough  
time. Godai probably realized that they wouldn't be enough to stop us,  
but they should work fine against the Orange Blossoms."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Cherry's right. I'll stay with her and get to  
work on Nabiki. The rest of you must stop Kuno. Now hurry!"  
  
Cherry blinked several times. "Got it! Level one secure.... now!"  
All of a sudden steel doors started to fall out in the hall. "There,  
should take the Orange Blossoms several minutes to blow through all of  
those. I'll have finished here before then."  
  
Otaru nodded and turned to run to the elevator. "OK, let's get that  
guy!" Lime, Bloodberry and Akane were already ahead of him, jumping  
down the elevator shaft together. Otaru jumped in after them, trusting  
on Bloodberry to catch him before he hit bottom.  
  
Lorelei bent over Nabiki's body and pulled her Kimono apart to get  
at the chest area. "Don't worry, Nabiki." She said quietly to the  
lifeless marionette. "I told you I'd fix you good as new, didn't I?"  
She manipulated several catches on the chest and it slowly opened up  
after unsealing. Lorelei frowned thoughtfully as she looked inside at  
Nabiki's workings. "Just as I thought. I'll need some tools...." She  
glanced around at the room then stood up and headed for a nearby  
closet. "Luckily, I happen to recall there is a tool chest in the  
storage closet up here."  
  
***********************  
  
Godai ran into the cloning chamber, winded from the exertion. "I've  
got to hurry, before they catch me...." He pointed to several points  
among the cloning booths. "Alright, place the explosives there... and  
there." The Orange Blossom's he had with him were quick to obey,  
placing the devices they had carried with them in the positions he had  
indicated.  
  
A technician in a lab coat came out from behind a computer bank.  
"General Kuno? What's going on here? Why are you placing those devices  
on the cloning facilities?"  
  
Godai frowned at the man. "Why didn't you evacuate the building as  
I ordered? I told everyone that they had to be out in ten minutes!"  
  
The technician frowned back. "Someone is to be at hand in the  
cloning chamber at all times, in case of an emergency. The clones take  
top priority."  
  
Godai sighed. "I'm afraid that is no longer the case." He nodded  
to the man. "Restrain him." Two Orange Blossoms were quick to do so,  
grabbing him easily and holding him almost without effort. "I'm afraid  
I can't have you interfering. I'm just sorry you decided not to obey my  
orders when you had a chance."  
  
Suddenly a loud voice shouted out from behind him. "Let him go!"  
Otaru Mamiya pointed his Jitte in Godai's direction, Akane, Lime and  
Bloodberry flanking him on either side. "Surrender, General Kuno. It's  
all over."  
  
Kuno raised an eyebrow. "I really don't think so." Six Orange  
Blossom marionettes jumped between Godai and the three of them, and he  
brought out a small box. Akane, Bloodberry and Lime charged, plowing  
through the Orange Blossoms like they weren't there, their battle auras  
flaring brightly. Godai took a step back and pressed a button on the  
device, pointing it at the fight going on in front of him. Akane,  
Bloodberry, and two of the three remaining Orange Blossoms fell in a  
heap. The third had been thrown clear of the fight and was the only of  
the four that Lime, Bloodberry and Akane had already cleared out of  
their way to have survived.  
  
Otaru charged forward through the gap, however, and his Jitte shot  
out, impaling the EMP caster and destroying it. The two Orange Blossoms  
that had been holding the technician reached him a second later,  
knocking him away from the startled Godai. Otaru hit the wall but  
managed to stay on his feet, although he was obviously in pain. Godai  
stepped back again in sudden worry as the three Saber marionettes rose  
to their feet and started to advance on him again. His every remaining  
Orange Blossom jumped to his defense but he knew how long they would  
last.  
  
"Stop!" Godai yelled commandingly, bringing a second box-like  
device out of his pocket. "This will detonate the bombs I planted on  
the cloning machinery. If any of you get any closer, I'll use it."  
  
Akane threw the marionette she had been grappling with off to the  
side, causing it to hit the reinforced wall quite a bit too hard, then  
froze as she heard the threat. Bloodberry halted in the middle of  
breaking one of the Orange Blossom marionettes over her knee. Three of  
the Orange Blossoms remained, but they too halted at Godai's command.  
Lime was frozen in mid punch, her eyes wide in alarm.  
  
Otaru raised his hand to Bloodberry and Akane. "Wait!" He turned  
to Godai angrily. "Not even you would do something so... so evil."  
  
Godai raised an eyebrow. "If that's what you think, by all means  
continue foreword, but I warn you, I am not bluffing."  
  
Otaru hesitated for several seconds. "Why? Why would you do such a  
thing?"  
  
Kuno shook his head sadly. "You just don't understand, do you? Do  
you think we can just introduce the human female into Terra Two without  
repercussions? What your Dr. Lorelei intends to do will destroy our  
world and our way of life! This world has survived, even prospered  
without women in it for hundreds of years. Men are superior in every  
way, it's scientific fact, and yet you'd give females back the power to  
control us? We must retain our position of superiority if we're to keep  
our civilization intact."  
  
Otaru blinked incredulously. "You're crazy! What's wrong with  
human females? Lorelei is as intelligent... as good for our  
civilization as any other person I've met. If women are like her, I  
don't see why we shouldn't have more of them around."  
  
Godai sighed. "I see that you don't understand. Nevertheless, you  
will do as I say, or I will press this button."  
  
"I've heard about enough of this." Came a familiar voice from the  
shadows. "Press away, if you like." Godai blinked, trying to place  
it. "Ranma? What? Where are you?"  
  
Akane blinked, then noticed something. "Godai! Don't press that  
button!" She jumped forward to stop him.  
  
Godai's eye narrowed. "No choice then, I see you've left me with no  
other options."  
  
He lifted his hand and pressed the remote's button, just as Ranma  
shouted. "No! Look down!" The explosives that Ranma had taken from  
the cloning machinery and placed at Godai's feet all went off at once.  
  
Ranma appeared, standing between the explosion and the cloning  
tanks. "Umi-sen-ken final attack! Deep Sea smother!" He raised a huge  
cloth in the path of the blast and somehow managed to contain the force  
of the thankfully, localized explosion. Akane dived for the technician,  
pushing him clear, and Bloodberry and Lime jumped in front of Otaru,  
taking what remained of the blast for their love and master.  
  
When the smoke finally cleared, Ranma emerged, her borrowed kimono  
badly singed, but otherwise mostly unharmed. Behind her, the cloning  
tanks stood intact, protected by Ranma's technique.  
  
Ranma sighed, shaking her head. "I should have know he'd be too  
stupid to listen. I would have taken the controller in the first place,  
but I was afraid that the button would get pressed by accident if I  
did."  
  
Otaru shook his head. "You did everything you could, Ranma. Godai  
died from his own action... and you saved our future. Those little  
girls all owe you their lives."  
  
Ranma blinked, glancing back at the cloning chamber with dismay.  
"Oh no... Somehow I just know I ain't gonna like it when they all start  
growing up."  
  
Otaru looked confused. "What? Why in the world would you say  
that?"  
  
Ranma shrugged. "I just know they're all going to feel like they  
owe me something, and before you know it, I'll be stuck with a hundred  
new fiancees."  
  
Otaru blinked. "Um... what's a fiancee?"  
  
Akane groaned, slapping herself in the forehead. "Ranma, you  
idiot. You're a girl! They can't marry you!"  
  
Ranma blinked. "Oh yeah, I forgot."  
  
Otaru scratched his head. "What are you two talking about?"  
  
Bloodberry shook her head and put an arm around him companionably.  
"I'll explain it to you, Otaru." She glanced at Ranma in mild  
confusion. "Although I'm not quite sure I understand it all myself."  
  
**********************  
  
Upstairs in the main security room, Cherry smiled brightly and  
turned to Lorelei. "I've managed to restore full command functions.  
Unless General Kuno overrides you, you should be able to shut down the  
Orange Blossoms from here."  
  
Lorelei stood up from where she had been working on Nabiki and  
nodded. "I'll do that. It will take my voice authorization. Could you  
finish up here? You just have to reconnect Nabiki's main processor to  
her power core. I've taken care of the rest already." Cherry nodded  
and they switched positions. Lorelei tapped several buttons on the main  
computer council and spoke. "Override security protocol omega one.  
Shut down all Orange Blossom marionettes on my voice authorization."  
  
The computer answered her in an artificial tone. "Command  
initializing. Impute voice authorization."  
  
Lorelei pressed a couple more switches and spoke again. "This is  
Lorelei, access code four, nine, thirteen, six, eight, one, green."  
  
The computer responded again. "Code accepted, initializing protocol  
omega one. Protocol omega one completed."  
  
Lorelei sighed in relief and started bringing up pictures on the  
main screen from various locations around and outside the palace. She  
spotted Panther and Lynx at the base of the castle, standing in the  
midst of a dozen fallen marionettes. Near the castle gates she was  
surprised to see Tamasaburo and Baiko, surrounded by several hundred men  
carrying various weapons. She focused in and noticed that the men were  
being led by a white haired man that she recognized.  
  
"Gennai-san!" Cherry cried from where she was working on Nabiki.  
"He came with reinforcements, like he promised." As they watched,  
Tamasaburo and Baiko led the band of men into the palace grounds,  
apparently leading them.  
  
"Oh good." Lorelei smiled faintly. "It looks like this might be  
finally over." She pushed another couple buttons and focused in on a  
picture of Otaru and company heading for the elevator, apparently on  
their way back to the control room. "Otaru is on his way up here as  
well. I hope they found General Kuno before he managed to do  
anything... rash."  
  
*******************  
  
Half an hour later, Otaru, his three marionettes, Faust's two,  
Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, Lorelei, Tamasaburo and Baiko, and Gennai all sat  
in a large circle inside the palace's main hall.  
  
Ranma was explaining. "So while everyone else went in the hard way,  
I kept to the shadows and waited for Godai to pull his... um... his...."  
  
Nabiki spoke up helpfully. "His Trump card?"  
  
Ranma blinked. "Nah, whatever it was he was holding out for last.  
What does a card have to do with it?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head wryly. "Never mind, Ranma. Remind me to play  
cards with you sometime."  
  
Ranma blinked again. "Er... I don't think so, Nabiki."  
  
Akane broke in. "So when Godai pulled out that detonator, you took  
all the bombs and dropped them at his feet, right?"  
  
Ranma nodded. "I didn't think he'd blow himself up! Anyway, that  
was about it, right?"  
  
Lorelei spoke up. "Well, it was, once Cherry fixed the security  
control computer so that I could deactivate all of the Orange Blossoms.  
It's going to take hours to remove all of the modifications the Kunos  
made to them."  
  
Bloodberry looked at Tamasaburo and Baiko curiously. "What happened  
to you two? How did you deal with the group that was after you?"  
  
Tamasaburo paused for an instant before speaking, almost appearing  
to be slightly embarrassed. "Gennai and his reinforcements found Baiko  
and I outside the palace, and helped destroy the rogue marionettes."  
  
Gennai patted Tamasaburo on the knee. "I was glad to help rescue  
such a vision of loveliness as yourself, my dear! I'm just glad we came  
in time to help you. It was a close thing, let me tell you!" He nodded  
seriously. "They had you cornered by the wall. Just a few more  
seconds, and we wouldn't have been able to save you!"  
  
Tamasaburo glanced at the hand on her knee but said nothing, turning  
to Lorelei a moment later as if she hadn't noticed. "Baiko and I  
suffered only minor damage. We should be ready for full service once  
more after only a few hours maintenance. I would, however, prefer to  
put that off until palace security is restored to normal efficiency.  
The present situation has left us dangerously vulnerable to attack if  
anyone else decides to take advantage of it."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "I think you're right, Tamasaburo." She turned to  
Gennai. "Do you think you and the men you brought might assist in  
securing the palace grounds until the Orange Blossoms are repaired or  
replaced? I'm afraid that we lost almost half of them."  
  
Gennai nodded. "You can count on us, Lorelei! I just had to get  
out the word that you were in trouble and Otaru needed our help, and  
practically everyone from the neighborhood jumped in line to help out.  
They'll all be happy to help out until things are back to normal here."  
  
Lorelei nodded, smiling. "Thank you, Gennai-san. You've been of  
invaluable assistance." She looked at Otaru and company. "Hopefully  
things will go back to normal soon enough."  
  
Nabiki cleared her throat. "For all of you, anyway. What about  
us? Ranma, Akane and myself. What is going to happen to us?"  
  
End Chapter 9  
  
Please C&C, it's why I write!  
  
You can find almost all the previous Chapters to this at:  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/1449/ssl.html  
  
  



	11. 10

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru,  
Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi... or practically all of them,  
anyway. The title is stolen from Heinlein... with one letter s added.  
  
Strangers in a Strange Land  
Chapter 10  
  
Silence reigned around Castle Japoness' main hall after Nabiki's  
question. "Well?" The middle Tendo sister broke the silence that she  
had created. "What is going to happen to us now? The man who built  
Ranma, Akane and myself is dead, but does someone still own us? As far  
as I've seen, marionettes don't have any rights here."  
  
Lorelei was the first to answer her. "I'm afraid you're right, Nabiki.  
Of course, up till very recently there was no reason for marionettes to  
have rights. The only marionettes with any capability for free will are  
here in this room... save Tiger of course." She nodded to Lynx and  
Panther apologetically.  
  
Nabiki looked surprised. "Really? I didn't realize that Maiden  
Circuits were quite that rare. There are only... nine Maiden Circuits  
in existence?"  
  
Lorelei blinked. "Well... it is possible, I suppose, that there might  
be more, but there are no others that I am aware of. The Maiden Circuit  
is an incredibly sophisticated piece of machinery. To tell the truth,  
it was quite surprising to find out that the Kuno's had managed to  
reproduce them... although the Kuno family was involved in the  
manufacture of the Maiden Circuits put into Lime, Cherry and  
Bloodberry. They were one of the primary manufacturers of many of the  
components involved in their creation. I suppose that would explain how  
Godai Kuno was able to build you three."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "I suppose that would explain it. I'm going to have to  
brush up on world history a bit more since I'm living here now.... The  
Kuno's didn't bother giving us much information about this place. All I  
know I've figured out from newspapers and from talking to people."  
  
Otaru grinned. "We can take you to the Pioneer History Museum once it's  
finished being rebuilt. The whole story about how we came to this  
planet is there."  
  
Lime giggled and bounced up and down a bit. "I was born in the Pioneer  
History Museum!"  
  
Akane, who was sitting to Lime's right, nodded to Lime with a smile.  
"That's nice, Lime."  
  
Lime continued happily. "Otaru woke me up! I was the first one he woke  
up, and he found me in the Pioneer History Museum!"  
  
Akane nodded again. "That's nice, Lime." She blinked suddenly. "What  
do you mean by he found you?"  
  
Lime answered easily. "I was there waiting for someone to find me, and  
it was Otaru that did it! He was the one that we were all waiting for  
to find us!"  
  
Akane looked a bit confused. "I'm not sure I understand, Lime. You  
were all waiting for him?"  
  
Otaru looked embarrassed and Lorelei spoke up to explain for him.  
"Ieyasu the thirteenth planned it that way when he built Lime, Cherry  
and Bloodberry to rescue me. He left them all in stasis until someone  
who could bring their Maiden Circuits to full maturity awakened them.  
That someone turned out to be Otaru. He was indeed able to get Lime,  
Cherry and Bloodberry's Maiden Circuit's fully active, so that the  
Mesopotamia's main computer would accept them in exchange for me."  
  
She lowered her head. "Otaru unfortunately did not know the real reason  
behind this, only that they were needed to be fully mature to be able to  
rescue me." Lorelei smiled faintly. "Thankfully, Lime, Cherry and  
Bloodberry were able to return to us anyway, once the colony ship  
finished breaking down."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "I remember you telling me about all of that while we  
were being held by the Kunos. So that's what the Maiden Circuits were  
supposed to be for? To trade to the computer for you?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Faust created Lynx, Panther and Tiger for the same  
purpose, but wasn't able to get their Maiden Circuits to fully mature in  
time. Tiger was badly damaged before the process was complete, and then  
only the ones Ieyasu had built could do it. It took most of the last  
three hundred years for the rescue attempt to finally be ready, and a  
good portion of that was developing the Maiden circuits. Japoness and  
Garlant, Faust's nation, were the only two nations that completed work  
on Maiden Circuits... as far as I know, anyway."  
  
Gennai spoke up. "I'd never heard anything about Maiden Circuits before  
meeting Lime and company. The technology certainly isn't available to  
anyone outside the government, or government contractors, anyway. I'd  
know! I know most of what there is to know about marionettes, at least  
the more conventional kind."  
  
Nabiki frowned slightly. "So... we're unique. I'd just about figured  
as much. Which is pretty much why I'm wondering what happens next? Do  
Lime, Cherry and the others have any rights, or are they treated like  
the other Marionettes I've seen."  
  
Otaru shook his head. "No one treats them badly, not in this town!  
They deserve to be treated like everyone else is... only better.  
They've saved the world. They're heroes! Everybody likes them."  
  
Lime nodded cheerfully. "I have lots of friends! Hana-chan...  
Yumi-chan, Gennai-san, Gemini-chan...."  
  
Bloodberry and Cherry exchanged a meaningful look that Nabiki caught.  
"What about you two? How does everyone treat you?"  
  
Cherry hesitated before answering. "Everyone is quite pleasant here in  
Japoness. Our neighbors treat us with a great deal of respect, and the  
local merchants adapted quite quickly to us as well."  
  
Bloodberry shrugged, grinning. "Of course it doesn't hurt that we  
helped defeat Garlant almost single handedly during the war. Otaru was  
the man of the year here in Japoness you know!"  
  
Nabiki took all of that in quietly. "So... you all live with  
Otaru-san?"  
  
Otaru nodded. "All five. Faust asked us to help Lynx and Panther learn  
more about normal life, so they've been staying with us for awhile.  
It's a bit crowded, but nothing serious."  
  
Lorelei spoke up. "You, Ranma and Akane could stay here at the palace  
with me. It gets lonely here sometimes, all by myself."  
  
Ranma blinked. "You want us to stay in the castle? Really?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "If you'd like. You probably will find it... difficult  
if you remain at the Kuno estate, and I couldn't let you go homeless. I  
feel I owe you all at least that much."  
  
Akane bowed low to her. "Thank you very much, Lorelei-san. I can't say  
how much I appreciate this."  
  
Tamasaburo and Baiko glanced at each other, then at Lorelei. "Lorelei,  
are you sure this is wise?" Baiko asked quietly. "There are certain  
security concerns here in the palace...."  
  
Lorelei frowned. "I don't think Ranma, Akane or Nabiki are any threat  
to security."  
  
Baiko hesitated. "Lorelei, may we speak with you privately?"  
  
Lorelei raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Yes, very well." She rose and  
followed Tamasaburo and Baiko outside of the main hall.  
  
Tamasaburo closed the door to the room behind them before she spoke up.  
"At this point they might not pose any threat, but might I remind you  
that Ranma has at least twice penetrated castle security for her own  
reasons, and that Nabiki was the one who kidnapped you and held you in  
the Kuno mansion? All three of them were designed and built by General  
Kuno. Who knows what hazards they may present?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "I disabled the device that controlled Nabiki,  
and I don't believe there is anything else that would make them threats  
to us."  
  
Baiko spoke up. "They possess the bodies of Saber Marionettes, and have  
proven to surpass even Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry in power. We know  
nothing about them, save what they have told us. While it is true that  
they assisted in retaking the castle, and rescuing you, there is nothing  
to say that they do not have a private agenda. If even part of what  
they have told you is true, then they have all the memories of three  
humans from the past. Would you trust any human with the power they  
possess?"  
  
Lorelei hesitated. "Not just any human... perhaps, but Otaru-san holds  
a great deal of power. Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry would do anything  
for him, and you trust him with that power."  
  
Baiko responded immediately. "The previous emperor trusted Otaru-dono  
after a long series of subtle tests. He would not have been allowed to  
be in charge of Lime and the others if he had not proven to be of  
impeccable character. He has had repeated opportunities to use Lime and  
the others for his own benefit, but has not done so. His loyalty to  
Japoness is unquestionable, at least so much as can be said for any  
human."  
  
Tamasaburo continued. "Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry's loyalty is to  
Otaru, and is even more complete than Otaru's loyalty to Japoness. If  
he can be trusted, so can they. Lynx and Panther are loyal to Faust.  
If they were not currently under Otaru's supervision, they would be much  
more closely watched. Certainly, they would not be allowed into the  
palace without Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry here as safeguards."  
  
Lorelei protested. "They aren't a threat anymore either. Faust would  
never do anything to hurt me...."  
  
Baiko nodded. "That is most likely true, but while your safety IS the  
most important security issue, it is not the only one we have to be  
concerned with. Also," she pointed out, "Ranma and Akane may have  
helped rescue you and stop Godai Kuno for their own reasons. They have  
every reason to have hated him, if everything they say is true."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "So you're saying that Ranma, Akane and Nabiki cannot  
stay here in the palace?"  
  
Tamasaburo nodded. "That is correct. We will also be increasing our  
security measures to prevent further break-ins, now that we know that it  
is still possible."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "We should do something for them. They don't deserve  
to be put out on the street."  
  
Baiko shook her head. "Nor would leaving them on their own be  
advisable, as they would be unmonitored. It would be our recommendation  
that you request for Otaru Mamiya to take them into his charge, at least  
until a more permanent solution can be found."  
  
Lorelei sagged a bit. "Poor Otaru... I hate to ask this of him. He's  
done so much for this country and this world, already."  
  
Baiko stared at her expressionlessly. "If it would be possible to shut  
them down for the time being, so that their systems and programming  
might be fully tested, then...."  
  
Lorelei hesitated, then shook her head. "I don't think they would agree  
to that, and I certainly wouldn't blame them if they refused." She  
sighed. "I will ask Otaru-san, since there seems to be no other  
choice."  
  
Lorelei slid open the door and forced herself to smile politely. "I'm  
sorry we took so long. Now, what were we discussing?"  
  
Nabiki spoke up. "Before you left we were talking about where we might  
stay. If you are worried about security here at the palace, perhaps we  
could find our own place. We've been talking with Otaru and the others,  
and I think it's possible for us to find jobs here in the city, and pay  
for a place to stay."  
  
Lime chimed in. "Cherry is our washboard girl!"  
  
Otaru shook his head. "That's signboard girl." He glanced at Ranma and  
Akane to explain. "Cherry cooks for our little restaurant. She's a  
great cook."  
  
Ranma spoke up. "I used to work for a restaurant. I could work as a  
waitress again I guess." She shrugged. "If you needed any help that  
is...." Ranma leaned over nearer to Otaru to whisper. "Just don't let  
Akane anywhere near the stove. Her cooking could bring down a horse."  
  
Lime spoke up quietly off to the side, "What's a horse?"  
  
Akane punched her ex-fiancee in the back of the head lightly, mindful of  
where they were sitting. "I heard that, idiot."  
  
Lorelei spoke up. "That's a good idea. Otaru-san, if it wouldn't be  
too much trouble, do you think you could let Ranma, Akane and Nabiki  
stay with you for awhile? Just until they become used to life here on  
Terra Two. You are the best person to help them with adjusting, Otaru."  
  
Otaru blinked. "Er... um... sure." He glanced at Nabiki, who looked  
back coolly, then over at Ranma and Akane who both looked back with  
concern. "Sure!" He repeated with more vigor, smiling broadly. "I'm a  
man of Japoness after all. I'll be glad for you to stay. I'll take  
care of you all, don't worry!"  
  
Akane continued to look concerned. "It's not necessary, Otaru-san. We  
don't want to impose."  
  
Otaru shook his head. "No way! You'll stay with me. What are three  
more? Don't worry about a thing."  
  
Ranma was frowning, but forced herself to smile. Damn it, I don't like  
this. Freeloading at the Tendo's was bad enough, and I was going to  
inherit the place. Ranma looked Otaru sharply in the eye. "We'll pay  
our own way, alright? I'm not going to freeload."  
  
Akane raised an eyebrow. "Oh no? You sure didn't seem to mind  
freeloading at our place."  
  
Ranma glared at her. "That was different, I was supposed to be  
marrying...." She stopped suddenly, then continued awkwardly. "Into  
the family... and I was going to inherit the dojo anyway. I wasn't just  
freeloading."  
  
Nabiki had been watching how the others had all reacted to the  
announcement that they would be moving into Otaru's place. Lorelei had  
seemed slightly nervous, and Tamasaburo and Baiko had remained watchful,  
not that that told her much. Lime hadn't really reacted to the news,  
although Cherry and Bloodberry had shown signs of concern. Lynx and  
Panther had taken the news unemotionally, although they had exchanged a  
meaningful looking glance at the announcement.  
  
Nabiki concealed her own mixed reactions. Why does Lorelei want us to  
go with Otaru, unless it's because she's not really sure if she can  
trust us? She considered that possibility for a moment. Otaru's  
marionettes are the only ones strong enough to deal with us. Nabiki  
did her best not to sigh. "Well then, I suppose it's settled. We'll  
stay with Otaru until we're ready to get our own place." She smiled  
winningly at Otaru, trying to appear grateful. "Thank you, Otaru-san."  
  
Otaru put one hand behind his head. "Don't worry about it. No problem,  
no problem at all!"  
  
Nabiki turned to Lorelei. "Lorelei, you removed the control program...  
or whatever... that Godai put into me, right?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Yes. There was a small computer hooked up to your  
central control matrix..., which is something like your nervous system.  
I removed that, and reconnected the wiring in-between. I'm planning on  
going over its programming later, after we get all the Orange Blossoms  
back on line, anyway."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "I understand. Do Akane and Ranma have similar  
computers in them?"  
  
Lorelei blinked. "I don't think so, at least from what you've told me.  
The module I found seemed to be a more recent edition than the rest of  
your systems. Its programming seems to be hardwired into its circuitry,  
so that it could be replicated and put into any other marionette in the  
same way. I removed similar devices from several of the surviving  
Orange Blossoms, and our technicians reported that they were the devices  
that General Kuno had them installing to increase the combat efficiency  
of the palace security force. Those were what was controlling them, as  
well as giving them access to the techniques of Ranma-san's school of  
martial arts."  
  
Nabiki looked slightly disappointed. "Oh, I guess that means I can't do  
any of Ranma's moves anymore."  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "No, not unless you could do them before." She  
glanced at Ranma. "If you or Akane would like, I could do some  
diagnostics on your systems and see if there is anything else Godai-san  
left behind."  
  
Ranma hesitated. "Well...." He shrugged. "I feel fine, actually. I  
could use a good bath, and something to eat, but I didn't get hurt."  
  
Akane smiled at Lorelei. "Thank you, Lorelei, but don't you have a lot  
of more important things to do? There are all the Orange Blossoms to  
repair, and Lime told us you're repairing a broken Maiden Circuit too.  
We wouldn't want to get in the way."  
  
Gennai slapped his knee. "I can give the ladies a check up if they  
like, Lorelei. I'm no genius, but I know my way around well enough."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Of course. You will tell me if there are any  
problems, alright?" Ranma, Akane and Nabiki all nodded.  
  
Otaru spoke up. "Ranma reminded me. I'm feeling hungry too, and it's  
getting really late. We should go back to my place and eat something,  
and see what we can do about getting some extra futons for you three."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "It is very late, and I'm sure we can all use a rest.  
I'll see you all soon. Thank you all again for your assistance."  
  
Ranma nodded easily. "No problem." Akane smiled and nodded as well.  
Nabiki looked at Lorelei thoughtfully then shrugged.  
  
Otaru stood and the other marionettes followed him to the door. "Come  
on, you three." He waved for them to join him. "I'll show you the  
way." Akane, Ranma and Nabiki rose as well, and the whole group filed  
out of the main hall, trailed slightly by Gennai.  
  
As they left the palace, Ranma glanced at her ex-fiancee. "Hey, Akane.  
You sure you don't want Lorelei-san taking a look at you? She  
practically invented marionettes after all, right?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "No, Gennai-san did a great job repairing my  
arm. I'm sure we'll be fine with him." She turned to the white haired  
old man. "I have to thank you for that again, Gennai. You did do a  
wonderful job."  
  
Gennai nodded with a smile. "I was happy to help, Akane-chan. I was  
lucky enough to have the materials on hand, just in case Lime or one of  
the others needs a repair. It's not easy getting materials of that  
quality you know! Saber Marionettes are generally military grade at  
least."  
  
Akane looked shocked. "Oh my. I had no idea it was that expensive....  
I'll pay you back, I promise!"  
  
Gennai blinked. "What? Oh, nonsense! I owed you that much and more,  
for saving Komatsu's life. If that tree had hit him it would have been  
my fault, and I never could have lived with myself after that. No, no,  
the repairs were nothing at all. In fact, as I see you and Ranma here  
need some new clothing, I'd be happy to lend you one or two of Gemini's  
spare kimonos until you get something of your own. She's a  
general-purpose marionette that I have at home. Nothing like you two,  
of course. She certainly won't complain if I lend out some of her  
clothing."  
  
Akane was about to protest, but a glance at Ranma's borrowed, much too  
large and badly burned, orange and green kimono changed her mind. "Well  
then... thank you, Gennai-san. I don't think we have much choice.  
Ranma's kimono won't last much longer, and I'd prefer it if she didn't  
start running around half naked."  
  
Ranma growled. "Hey! It's not like I do it on purpose. Stuff just...  
happens, alright?"  
  
Nabiki chuckled. "Stuff just 'happens' around you all the time,  
Saotome. I never had any problem getting shots to sell to Kuno."  
  
Gennai looked confused. "General Kuno? I don't understand."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "Oh yeah, same last name. No, I'm talking about  
Tatewaki Kuno, from when we lived on Earth... five hundred years ago or  
so. He's the one that had our memories... copied, as I understand it.  
He had a huge crush on Ranma and my little sister. The poor guy just  
couldn't make up his mind between them."  
  
Gennai looked interested. "That's fascinating! I wasn't aware that  
they had the technology to do that sort of thing all those years ago."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "According to Lorelei, the scientist who Kuno paid to do  
it, Iago Ikari or something, was some sort of genius, way ahead of his  
time. Godai seemed to be pretty bright too, at least for a psychopath.  
He did manage to put our memories into these bodies. Aside from a few  
tiny physical details, I really can't tell that I'm any different. It  
was like waking up from a nap. One minute I'm over at Kuno-chan's  
place, and the next I'm on Dr. Frankenstein's table."  
  
Gennai blinked. "Frankenstein?"  
  
Nabiki looked surprised. "Don't tell me you haven't heard the story of  
Dr. Frankenstein and his monster."  
  
Gennai shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Much of earth's culture and  
history have been lost here on Terra Two. The shuttle that escaped from  
the Mesopotamia held some records, and Lorelei managed to transmit a bit  
more from the Mesopotamia's storage banks before she went into suspended  
animation, but a great deal was lost in the original explosion."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "I see. I guess at least some of the personal histories  
of the people on the ship survived. Godai said that they had read the  
journals of Tatewaki Kuno, not to mention having our memories in storage  
somehow."  
  
Gennai nodded. "The Kuno's were one of Ieyasu the first's ancestors.  
Ieyasu, being a scientist by training, had brought along a great deal of  
information with him on the shuttle, stored in his personal computers.  
When the cloning began, they were able to separate out individual traits  
that made up the genetic codes of many of his ancestors, thanks to  
Faust's knowledge of genetic engineering. To preserve some sense of  
family, each group of clones received a family name from those of Ieyasu  
and the other's ancestors." The old man shrugged. "It's been three  
hundred years now, but many of those names live on, passed down from  
Earth to us."  
  
Nabiki nodded thoughtfully. "The guys who crash landed here three  
hundred years ago... they must have been very resourceful to have  
managed all that. I'll really have to learn more about this planet's  
history. It sounds fascinating."  
  
Gennai smiled. "I would be happy to tell you more later. Perhaps you  
can tell me something about Earth, and what it was like in your time."  
  
Nabiki held out her hand. "It's a deal."  
  
Several minutes later, the group reached the small apartment complex  
where Otaru and Gennai lived, Kashahari apartments. An effeminate  
looking blond haired young man was waiting out in front, and he ran over  
to meet Otaru as they approached.  
  
"Otaru-kun!!!" Hanagata wailed. "I was so worried about you! I heard  
about everything that happened. Are you alright? Let me look at your  
injuries so I can make them all better!"  
  
Otaru sighed, rolling his eyes in frustration. "Cherry already bandaged  
my ribs up, Hanagata, I'm fine." He fended the overly affectionate man  
away with one arm. "It's late, and I'm going to try and get some sleep,  
so I'll see you tomorrow, OK?"  
  
Hanagata released Otaru, only to eye Ranma, Akane and Nabiki with  
suspicion. "Who are these new marionettes, Otaru-kun? Don't tell me  
you're putting up even more of them in your home?"  
  
Otaru glared at the blond haired man in annoyance. "It's none of your  
business, Hanagata."  
  
Cherry and Bloodberry quickly stepped in-between Otaru and the annoying  
young man. "You heard Otaru." Bloodberry stated calmly, poking  
Hanagata firmly in the chest. "Now beat it, before I have to beat you!"  
  
Hanagata backed off finally, glaring at the tall red headed marionette.  
"Don't think you can keep Otaru-kun for yourselves! He and I are meant  
to be together!"  
  
Cherry stepped in and hit him with a backhand, sending him on a  
parabolic arc directly to his own door, next to Otaru's place. "Otaru  
is not yours!" She rebutted firmly as he flew through his front door  
into his living room. "And you are not meant to be together!"  
  
Bloodberry blinked at Cherry. "You didn't hit him very far this time  
Cherry. Why is that?"  
  
Cherry shrugged. "It's so late, I wouldn't want Yumeji to have to go  
get him this much after dark."  
  
Bloodberry nodded. "Yumeji does care about his older brother a lot,  
doesn't he?"  
  
Cherry nodded. "He's very responsible for eight years old."  
  
Otaru walked up to his front door and opened it. "This is our place.  
Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, please think of this as your home for now." Otaru  
showed everyone inside. There was a set of stairs going up to the  
second floor near the front door, and to the left was a medium sized  
room with a short round table in the center of it, around six feet  
wide. There were two other doors wood and paper door leading out of  
that room, one to the left, and a second across from the entrance.  
  
Otaru walked inside, and gestured to the door on the left. "Our  
restaurant is through there." He pointed at the stairs. "And the  
sleeping quarters are upstairs." Otaru nodded to the back door. "The  
back yard is through there. We don't have enough futons to spare right  
now, but we'll see what we can come up with."  
  
Cherry walked through to the restaurant door and opened it. "I'll fix  
us all something to eat while you set things up for our guests,  
Otaru-sama."  
  
Otaru nodded. "Good idea, Cherry." He mused for a moment. "Lets see,  
we have one spare futon...."  
  
Gennai, who had walked into the doorway behind everyone else spoke up.  
"I have a futon you can borrow as well, for company. If one of you  
ladies would come over to my place to pick it up?"  
  
Akane nodded quickly. "I'll come with you, Gennai-san. You're very  
generous."  
  
Gennai put a hand behind his head and laughed. "Nonsense! It's nothing  
at all. I get visitors so rarely, I never use it. Come now, I'll show  
you where it is. My apartment is just across the way."  
  
Otaru turned to Lynx. "That reminds me. Hanagata has an extra futon.  
Could you go next door and ask if we could borrow it for tonight?"  
  
Lynx nodded. "Of course."  
  
Gennai and Akane started across the apartment complex, and Akane waved  
at Ranma to follow them. "Come on, Ranma. Make yourself useful for  
once!" Ranma shrugged and followed them over to Gennai's place. The  
old man opened his door and showed them in.  
  
An attractive marionette in a kimono and with long black hair nodded to  
them in greeting. "Welcome... welcome." While her expression was  
pleasant, she had the same lack of recognition in her eyes that most  
non-saber marionette's shared.  
  
Gennai gestured to her. "This is Gemini. Gemini, please bring out the  
spare futon, will you?" Gemini blinked slowly, then turned and started  
walking toward the wall closet. Gennai nodded and went over to a chest  
on the floor in the corner of the room. "Now then, I keep Gemini's  
spare kimonos in here." He opened the chest and brought out two folded  
kimonos, one black and red, the other orange and white. Gennai turned  
to Akane and handed them to her. "Here you go my dear. Don't worry  
about returning them right away, Gemini will be fine without them for a  
week or two."  
  
Akane bowed to him again and took the kimonos. "Thank you again,  
Gennai. We'll make sure to wash them before we bring them back."  
Gemini had opened the closet door and was struggling slightly with the  
futons inside.  
  
Ranma stepped over quickly. "Hey, let me give you a hand there." She  
stepped in beside Gemini, holding the futon on the top up so the  
marionette could pull the bottom one free.  
  
Gemini brought it out and carried it over to Gennai, who gestured to  
Ranma. "Give it to Ranma here, Gemini."  
  
Gemini nodded slowly and handed the futon to Ranma, who took it with a  
smile. "Thank you, Gemini."  
  
The domestic marionette bowed automatically. "You are welcome...  
Ranma."  
  
Ranma shouldered the burden easily and started for the door. "Thanks a  
lot, grandpa."  
  
Akane slapped Ranma in the back of the head as they walked across the  
courtyard. "Can't you try to be even a little bit polite, Ranma?"  
  
Back in Otaru's apartment, Lime was helpfully showing Nabiki around the  
main room. "And this is the cup Otaru made for me!" She explained,  
holding up a misshapen bowl with an elongated hand drawn picture of what  
was probably Limes face.  
  
Nabiki regarded it dubiously. "That's nice, Lime."  
  
Lime giggled, holding the bowl next to her face for an example. "I look  
so funny, don't I?"  
  
Nabiki laughed quietly and nodded. "Yes, it does look funny." She  
shook her head. "Must have been too long in the kiln or something."  
She glanced over at a chest of drawers which had a hand painted teacup  
resting on top of it. "Oh, that's Cherry on this cup here, right?"  
  
Lime nodded. "Otaru made one for Cherry and Bloodberry too! Only  
mine's special!"  
  
Nabiki glanced toward the kitchen, where Otaru had gone to help Cherry  
set up for a late dinner. "Otaru really cares about you three, doesn't  
he?"  
  
Lime nodded firmly. "Otaru takes good care of us, and I love Otaru!"  
  
"I can see that." Nabiki smiled to herself knowingly. This guy is  
worse off than Ranma was! He's got three girls after him right at home,  
and a fourth who's the most important person on the planet. I wonder  
how Lynx and Panther feel about the guy?  
  
Ranma and Akane came back in carrying their bundles, and Bloodberry came  
down the stairs to greet them. "Bring that stuff upstairs." The tall  
red head instructed. "I've been setting up the futons for tonight.  
I'll show you where you can put yours."  
  
Panther and Lynx were already upstairs, setting out their own futons as  
Bloodberry escorted Ranma and Akane into a spartan room that stretched a  
good thirty feet across, and fifteen or so wide. On the far wall was an  
open double door that took up most of that wall, leading into a smaller  
room, perhaps fifteen feet square. Bloodberry led them to the far room,  
which held several chests of drawers.  
  
"We keep our clothes and things in here." She explained. "The futons  
go in the closets when we're not using them, and we sleep in the room  
Panther and Lynx are setting up."  
  
Akane blinked. "All of you?"  
  
Bloodberry blinked. "Well, it's a bit crowded, so we'll probably leave  
the doors open to this room so we can use the floor in here too. In  
fact, why don't you two and Nabiki take this room." We can just fit  
three futons in here with some space to walk, don't you think?"  
  
Akane hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, you're right." She smiled at the  
taller marionette faintly. "This will be fine. Thank you Bloodberry."  
  
Bloodberry shrugged. "No problem, Akane."  
  
Nabiki wandered in, overhearing. "The three of us in here?" She  
glanced at Ranma and Akane slyly. "You two sure you're OK with that?  
Wouldn't you like some privacy?" She winked. "You know... in case you  
want to... have some... quality time together?"  
  
Bloodberry blinked, then glanced from Akane to Ranma, who were both  
blushing at the suggestion. "What...? You don't mean... you two...?"  
  
Ranma and Akane shook their heads and protested at the same time. "No  
way! We wouldn't!" They glanced at each other in surprise, then  
continued.  
  
"With that tomboy?" Ranma exclaimed. "Why would I...?"  
  
"With that pervert?" Akane protested simultaneously. "You've got to be  
kidding!" They glanced at each other and blushed again, then pointedly  
turned away from each other and faced opposite sides of the room.  
  
Bloodberry scratched her head. "What's going on here?"  
  
Lynx walked up, attracted by the commotion. "If my interpretation of  
human responses is accurate, they are both prevaricating in their  
assertions." She scratched her chin. "Although I don't quite  
understand what they are protesting about."  
  
Bloodberry blinked. "What?"  
  
Nabiki translated. "She means they're both lying through their teeth."  
She winked at Lynx. "And if you'd like to know exactly what they're  
protesting about, I can explain in detail... for a small fee."  
  
Akane turned on her older sister angrily. "Nabiki, quit it! And stop  
trying to make a profit off of people we're living with!"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "Hey, that never stopped me before."  
  
Lynx hesitated. "I am curious. Exactly what would you require to  
fulfill this 'small' fee."  
  
Nabiki smiled. "Let's talk about that in private, eh?" She led Lynx  
away toward the stairs. Panther hadn't paid any attention to the  
commotion and was finishing putting out her bedding, while Bloodberry  
looked confused.  
  
"I don't get it." Bloodberry admitted finally. "There's been something  
weird going on between you two since we first met. What's up? You're  
both girls... its not sex...." Ranma and Akane both turned bright red  
at that and Bloodberry blinked. "No way! That can't be it!" She  
looked at one then the other carefully. "Wait, are you two like  
Hana-chan? You know, do you like girls instead of boys?"  
  
Akane shook her head violently while protesting. "No! I'm not like  
that!"  
  
Ranma didn't answer at first, too shocked to speak. "Like... girls?"  
  
Bloodberry nodded to Ranma in encouragement. "You know... do you like  
girls, or guys?"  
  
Ranma shook her head. "There's no way I like guys like that, OK?"  
  
Bloodberry's eyes widened. "So you do like girls!" She paused for a  
second thoughtfully. "Well... I don't care, as long as you're not after  
Otaru it doesn't matter to me."  
  
Akane kept protesting. "No. No way! I am not a pervert like he...  
like she is!" Ranma twitched, but pretended to ignore her.  
  
Bloodberry regarded Akane levelly. "If you say so. What's the big  
deal, anyway? I mean, it's kinda strange, but no stranger than Hanagata  
is I guess."  
  
Akane stopped in mid protest. "I...." She shook her head. "It's not  
like you think, but it's too much to explain right now." Akane rolled  
her eyes. "I don't know if I could ever explain it."  
  
Ranma turned to face her ex-fiancee in concern. "Akane...."  
  
Akane sighed. "Never mind, Ranma." Akane looked at Bloodberry. "It's  
complicated... but Nabiki's exaggerating things. There is no reason we  
can't share this room with my sister. We're all girls, after all." She  
glared at Ranma, waiting for the red head to contradict her.  
  
Ranma just put up her hands in surrender. Like I want a fight with  
Akane right now? She shook her head when Akane looked away. Oh  
brother... this is going to be uncomfortable.  
  
Bloodberry raised an eyebrow. "Sure, if you say so." She winked at  
Akane. "But if you two ever need to have some... quality time together,  
you can count on me to help out."  
  
Akane tried not to fall over. "Ah... thanks... I guess." She watched  
in bemusement as Bloodberry walked away, then turned to Ranma. "You and  
your big mouth."  
  
Ranma held up her hands in protest. "What did I say?"  
  
Akane sighed. "You made her think that we're both lesbians you dolt!"  
  
Ranma blinked. "Oh...." She frowned. "I ain't no  
lesbi-whatchamacallit." She looked to Akane in confusion. "Am I?"  
  
Akane hesitated. "Actually, Ranma, you are... at least right now you  
are. A lesbian is a girl that likes other girls... you know... that  
way." She narrowed her eyes. "Unless you've suddenly decided that you  
like guys like that."  
  
Ranma waved her hands in front of her face. "No way! There's no way  
I'll ever be like that!"  
  
Akane shrugged. "Well, then that makes you a lesbian."  
  
Ranma blinked. "Oh." She nodded slowly. "I guess so, huh?" Ranma's  
face grew thoughtful for several long moments, then slightly sad. "I  
guess you're not one, are you. A lesbian I mean."  
  
Akane blinked incredulously. "Of course not! Why in the world would  
you think....?" She went silent for several moments as well. "Ah...  
well... that's complicated, OK?"  
  
Ranma shrugged, pretending it wasn't important. "It's no big deal,  
Akane. I mean, it's not like you have to marry me anymore. Our  
families are on earth, and there isn't any dojo for us to inherit. You  
can find anyone you like." She turned around and started setting up the  
futon she had carried from Gennai's place. "We should get this place  
ready, OK?"  
  
Akane hesitated. "Ranma...." She sighed, then picked up another futon  
and started laying it out as well. "I suppose so."  
  
A few minutes later, Cherry called everyone down to the main room  
downstairs, where she had put out nine bowls of rice and fish, just  
lightly grilled. "It's not fancy." She explained modestly. "But I  
hope it will be enough to help everyone get some sleep."  
  
Otaru smiled at Cherry gratefully. "It's great, Cherry. I'm looking  
forward to a full stomach, and to getting some shuteye! It has been one  
heck of a long day!" It was a tight fit around the table, but everyone  
dug in with gusto, finishing off the meal quickly and one by one heading  
upstairs, leaving Cherry and Akane downstairs at the last.  
  
Cherry started clearing away the dishes and Akane moved to help her. "I  
can help you wash up." The short haired girl offered cheerfully. "It's  
the least I can do after you put us up in your home."  
  
Cherry smiled back. "It's nice of you to offer, Akane." She glanced up  
at the stairs. "Did you three find a place to sleep tonight?"  
  
Akane nodded. "We're taking the back room, if that's alright."  
  
Cherry smiled and nodded. "Certainly. That should work fine." They  
worked companionably together for a minute before she spoke again. "I  
was curious... what were Nabiki-san and Lynx talking about earlier?"  
  
Akane rolled her eyes. "I couldn't say. You should probably ask  
Nabiki."  
  
Cherry blinked. "Oh. Well, it was probably nothing important."  
  
Akane nodded, forcing a cheerful smile on her face. "Yes, probably  
nothing important."  
  
When they got upstairs they were greeted by a line of six futons  
arranged side by side through the center of the room. Otaru and the  
other four marionettes that had been living here previous were in the  
middle of changing for bed, standing around the room while they  
undressed. Akane tried not to blush as she made her way around to the  
other end of the room to join Ranma and Nabiki in the far room. She  
noted with some relief that no one was stripping down past their  
sleep-ware, only going as far as to remove their outer clothing.  
  
The ones showing the most skin were Bloodberry and Panther. Bloodberry  
apparently wore a tight fitting halter top that showed off plenty of  
cleavage and her form hugging bicycle pants, while Panther wore a muscle  
shirt and boxer shorts, much as Ranma had used to. Lime apparently wore  
the body suit she had on under her fluffy white shirt to bed. It was  
form hugging, but otherwise modest enough, leaving her arms bare, and  
her legs covered to mid thigh. Lynx wore her white shirt to bed, and  
was laying her skirt, tie, and suspenders in a neat pile.  
  
Nabiki and Ranma hadn't changed for bed yet, not having anything decent  
to change into. Akane joined them, still blushing slightly, and glanced  
back into the main room. Otaru had just kicked off his shoes and taken  
off his jacket, and was getting ready to sleep in his sleeveless shirt  
and pants, while Cherry had taken off her outer kimono, leaving her  
wearing a short shirt to sleep in.  
  
Nabiki wrinkled her nose once, then shrugged. "I guess it won't kill me  
to wear a kimono to bed for once." So saying she pulled back the covers  
to her own futon to lay down. Ranma glanced at her own burnt kimono,  
then at Akane, then got into her futon as well, turning her back on the  
rest of the room. Akane glanced out at the others again, and realized  
that the bra and panties she had on under the kimono showed quite a bit  
more of herself than she was willing to show at that point. She  
shrugged and got into her own futon.  
  
"Goodnight, everyone." Akane called softly toward the other room.  
  
"Goodnight Akane." Cherry replied quietly. "Goodnight Otaru."  
  
"Goodnight, Cherry." Otaru replied sleepily. "Goodnight Lime,  
goodnight Bloodberry."  
  
"Goodnight Otaru." Bloodberry answered. "Night all."  
  
"Goodnight Otaru!" Lime said cheerfully. "Goodnight Cherry! Goodnight  
Bloodberry! Goodnight Lynx! Goodnight Panther! Goodnight Akane!  
Goodnight Nabiki! Goodnight Ranma!"  
  
Everyone else sighed. "Goodnight Lime."  
  
For several long moments the house was quiet, but Lime finally spoke up  
again. "Ranma... what's a horse anyway?"  
  
End Chapter 10  
  
Please C&C, it's why I write!  
  
You can find almost all the previous Chapters to this at:  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/1449/ssl.html  
  
  
  



	12. 11

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru,  
Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi... or practically all of them,  
anyway. The title is stolen from Heinlein... with one letter s added.  
  
Warning, for those extremely allergic to boredom, breakfast and shopping  
moments ahead! Some waffy stuff for those extremely allergic to  
feelings of a non-violent nature. Oh, and for those fight fans, who are  
waiting for a good knock down drag it out fight to the death? Sorry,  
it's going to be a while. For everyone else that knows what this story  
is supposed to be about... read on! Essential plot stuff is scattered  
about liberally! Don't forget to wait two hours after eating before  
diving in! Wait, that's swimming.  
  
Strangers in a Strange Land  
Chapter 11  
  
Ranma blinked sleepily up at Akane as the short haired girl tried to  
shake her awake for the third time. "What is it, Akane? Is it time to  
get up already?"  
  
Akane gave her sleepy ex-fiancee one final push and rolled her eyes.  
"Ranma, come on. Everyone else has been awake for awhile now!" Ranma  
blinked and looked up and around. The door to the small room they had  
slept in was ajar, and outside she could see Bloodberry folding up a  
futon, still wearing what she had on when she had gone to bed. Ranma  
pushed down the covers and sat up, inadvertently letting the burnt and  
overlarge kimono she had worn to bed fall to her waist, having come  
loose during the night.  
  
Otaru pushed open the door to their room with a cheerful smile. "Did  
you all sleep... erk!" His eyes went wide and he took a step back in  
surprise as he got a good look at Ranma's naked chest.  
  
Akane immediately stepped between Otaru and Ranma, growling at the  
petite red head. "Cover your chest!" Ranma glanced down, blinked, then  
hurriedly did so, pulling the kimono up. Akane smiled wanly to the  
young man standing dumbfounded in front of her. "Please excuse us,  
Otaru-san." She noticed Bloodberry glaring their way incredulously and  
she bowed slightly to her as well. "Sorry Bloodberry." Akane pulled  
the double doors shut in front of Otaru. "We'll be out in just a  
minute."  
  
Akane whirled on Ranma, her face turning a bit red. "Ranma! How could  
you embarrass me like that?"  
  
Ranma blinked. "What? I covered up, didn't I?"  
  
Akane rolled her eyes. "Not before giving Otaru and Bloodberry an  
eyeful you didn't! Why in the world can't you act like you have a tiny  
bit of modesty?"  
  
Ranma shrugged. "Did I ever before?"  
  
Akane frowned. "No, but that doesn't mean you can't start now." She  
walked over to the pair of kimonos that Gennai had lent them the night  
before and took the top one off the pile, tossing it to Ranma. "Here,  
put this on. It should fit better than the one you're wearing... or  
should I say falling out of, now."  
  
Ranma shrugged and stood up, shrugging off the borrowed Orange Blossom  
kimono and letting it fall to her feet, then stepping out of it and  
unfolding the orange and white kimono that Akane had handed her. At the  
sight of the petite red head in nothing but a pair of panties, Akane  
turned away with a blush. "Now hurry up. I need to get changed too."  
  
Ranma shrugged and started dressing. "Sure." She looked around the  
small room. "Hey, where's Nabiki, anyway?"  
  
Akane glanced back at Ranma for a moment before looking away again.  
"Nabiki got up a few minutes ago and went downstairs with Lime and  
Cherry. You were the one who said you didn't want to freeload, but here  
you were, sleeping in as everyone else gets ready...."  
  
Ranma finished dressing and went to the door. "OK, OK, enough already.  
I'm dressed. What about you, are you going to change?" She glanced  
pointedly at the torn kimono Akane was wearing, its left sleeve still  
missing from when Panther had shot Akane with her laser.  
  
Akane made a pushing motion with her hands. "I will in a minute, if  
you'd leave! Now shoo, and find something useful to do."  
  
Ranma nodded quickly, opening the door and stepping through. "Right,  
right. I'll see what everyone else is up to." The petite red head shut  
the door behind her and glanced around the room. Panther glanced at her  
with mild interest while handing Bloodberry a folded up futon.  
  
Bloodberry took the futon and was about to store it in the closet when  
she noticed Ranma. "Why you.... Don't think I'm going to let you get  
away with that. I haven't even gotten to show Otaru my chest yet, and  
then you go and spoil it for me!"  
  
Ranma raised her hands in self-defense. "Hey! It was an accident!  
That kimono was way too big for me, OK? With the explosion and all, I'm  
surprised I didn't pop out of it before then!"  
  
Bloodberry glared at the smaller girl. "Well... alright... just as long  
as it doesn't happen again. Otaru is mine, alright?"  
  
Ranma waved her hands in front of her. "No problem! Hey, I'm not the  
slightest bit interested in Otaru that way, trust me."  
  
Bloodberry brightened. "No, that's right, isn't it? He's not your  
type, is he?"  
  
Ranma shook her head. "No way. I mean, he seems like a nice guy and  
all, but I just don't go for guys... no offense."  
  
Bloodberry shrugged, letting her cleavage bounce nicely. "None taken.  
More for me that way."  
  
Ranma swallowed at the sight, then shook her head. "Ah... so, what do  
you guys normally do in the mornings?"  
  
Bloodberry waved a hand around at the room. "Well, as you can see, I  
usually put the futons away first. Cherry prepares breakfast,  
downstairs, and Lime usually waters the plants or something." She  
nodded to the blond marionette next to her. "I was showing Panther the  
ropes. She and Lynx are here to learn from us you know, how to take  
care of stuff besides fighting, that is."  
  
Panther frowned at that. "Are you saying I can't do anything but  
fight?"  
  
Bloodberry grinned slightly. "Are you saying I'm wrong about that?"  
  
Panther sniffed at her. "Fine, you want to see me do something besides  
fight? Give me that broom. I'll clean up this place until you won't  
recognize it!"  
  
Bloodberry rolled her eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of."  
  
Akane chose that moment to come out of the side room, wearing the black  
and red kimono Gennai had loaned her. "Is there anything I can do to  
help?"  
  
Bloodberry nodded. "Well, first we should put your futons away...."  
  
Akane nodded and turned around to do so. "OK, no problem."  
  
Ranma came in to help her, and went to work at getting her own futon  
ready to be put away. "I'll give you a hand."  
  
A minute later, they had finished cleaning up the upstairs. Panther  
had, with only a little supervision, managed to sweep the place without  
destroying anything, which had impressed Bloodberry enough that she had  
stopped needling her, for the moment at least. Bloodberry and Panther  
finished getting dressed and the five of them went down stairs in time  
to see Otaru coming in the front door with several bottles of milk.  
  
The young man froze for a moment upon spotting Ranma, but soon relaxed.  
"Ah, good. Akane, did you and Ranma get a good night's sleep last  
night?"  
  
Akane nodded pleasantly. "We did, Otaru-kun. Thank you."  
  
Cherry ducked out of the kitchen still wearing her nightshirt. "Oh  
good, everyone's up." She nodded to Akane and started upstairs. "I'll  
just finish getting dressed and ready, and breakfast will be in another  
five minutes or so."  
  
Lime came in from the back wearing her bodysuit and carrying a water  
can. "Breakfast! Yay!"  
  
Cherry shooed her up the stairs in front of her. "Get dressed first,  
Lime." The blue haired marionette ran up the stairs with a cheerful  
wave to everyone, and Cherry followed her more sedately. Nabiki came  
out of the kitchen, still in the clothes she had worn the night before,  
which were slightly rumpled, as she hadn't had anything to change into.  
  
Before long, everyone had gathered downstairs for breakfast. Bloodberry  
had come up with the idea of bringing down the other table from  
upstairs, so there was enough space for everyone to sit comfortably.  
  
After only a few bites, Nabiki spoke up. "This is really good, Cherry.  
You could give my big sister Kasumi a run for her money in the cooking  
department."  
  
Cherry smiled politely. "Thank you, Nabiki-san." The demure, purple  
haired marionette looked curious. "I didn't know that you had an elder  
sister, Nabiki."  
  
Nabiki blinked, then frowned. "I don't suppose I do... anymore,  
anyway. Kuno had a duplicate of her... but just the image, no memories  
or Maiden Circuit. Kasumi was a very good cook, she took excellent care  
of all of us." She shrugged. "That's long in the past now, I suppose."  
  
Cherry looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a  
painful memory."  
  
Nabiki shrugged off the apology. "It doesn't matter." She glanced  
around the table, abruptly changing the subject. "So, what do you all  
usually do during a normal day?"  
  
Otaru answered after a short pause. "Well, Cherry cooks breakfast and  
dinner... she handles the restaurant for most of the day as well. Lime  
does the shopping, and Bloodberry does most of the other chores around  
the house. Faust asked us to help teach Panther and Lynx how to cook,  
proper etiquette... that sort of thing, so Cherry has been teaching Lynx  
how to cook, and Bloodberry has been giving Panther pointers on cleaning  
up and maintaining the house for the last few days.  
  
Akane looked at Cherry earnestly. "Cherry, do you think you could teach  
me too? I like to cook... but I'm not as good at it as I'd like."  
  
Cherry nodded with a smile. "Of course, Akane-san. If I can teach Lynx  
how to cook, I can teach anyone." Lynx raised an eyebrow but didn't  
otherwise respond.  
  
Ranma rolled her eyes. "You've never seen Akane cook before either."  
  
Akane growled at her warningly. "Ranma...."  
  
Cherry continued to smile. "Nonsense, it just takes hard work and  
practice! We'll make a good cook out of Akane before you know it!"  
  
Ranma sighed, then shrugged. "Oh well, at least I can't get an upset  
stomach any more."  
  
Nabiki chuckled under her breath before speaking up again. "What about  
you, Otaru-san? What do you during the day?"  
  
Otaru glanced at her. "Oh? Well I own my own boat... finally. I fish  
for several hours a day, usually, and sell what I catch to the local  
cannery. I used to work for them part time as a salesman...."  
  
Nabiki looked mildly impressed. "Own your own boat, eh? That's pretty  
impressive."  
  
Otaru shrugged sheepishly. "It's not that much, really. It's only a  
sixteen footer, no engine or anything...."  
  
Nabiki nodded with mild interest. "It's a start. Perhaps I could help  
you work out a way to expand."  
  
Otaru blinked. "Do you know anything about fishing, Nabiki?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "Not really, but I do know about how to run a  
business. I took care of all the money matters for my family...  
before."  
  
Otaru looked impressed. "That's great, Nabiki! I don't really have  
much of a head for figures myself. The first time I tried to run my own  
business we ended up losing money by the end of the first day."  
  
Nabiki grinned confidently. "That will never happen if I'm handling  
things. Why don't you show me your books, and I'll see what I can do  
for a start."  
  
Otaru hesitated. "Books? Cherry keeps one for the restaurant... but I  
don't exactly have one for the boat yet... I have most of my receipts  
somewhere...."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "Just show me what you've got... I'm starting to  
understand what you meant by having trouble with figures."  
  
Otaru laughed nervously. "Heh... I should have them around somewhere."  
  
"I'll go get them, Otaru-sama!" Cherry piped in. "I know just where  
they are!"  
  
Otaru hesitated, then shook his head. "We can do that later, Cherry. I  
was thinking of taking off work today anyway. We need to go shopping  
today for our guests. We need to get some extra futons, and we should  
go to the clothing stores too."  
  
Akane opened her eyes wide. "Otaru, that's not necessary. We can't  
afford to pay you back right now, and we couldn't ask you to...."  
  
Otaru shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Akane. I promised Lorelei  
I'd take care of you three, and I will."  
  
Ranma frowned. "I thought I told you I wanted to pay my own way. We're  
not going to freeload, alright?"  
  
Otaru put up his hands defensively. "I understand. This is just a  
loan, OK? You can't go around in borrowed clothing all the time,  
right?"  
  
Ranma hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're  
right... but I'm paying you back, OK?"  
  
Otaru nodded back. "Right." The shopping expedition started soon  
afterwards.  
  
As they walked, Nabiki maneuvered herself over by Cherry so they could  
talk semi-privately. "Cherry, I was wondering if you could tell me what  
you know about Maiden Circuits?"  
  
Cherry blinked, then nodded. "If you wish, Nabiki-san. What is it that  
you wish to know?"  
  
Nabiki hesitated. "Well, I was wondering about some of the things Godai  
said about them, really. I know they give us emotions... is that  
right?"  
  
Cherry nodded. "They're quite a bit more than that, however. They hold  
our personalities... in some ways they are our very lives. Nothing is  
more important. Everything else can be replaced, or fixed, if our  
Maiden Circuit is destroyed or taken, however, we are, for all intents  
and purposes, dead."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "I see... that's important to know. Well, I suppose  
everyone has a weakness. That doesn't seem too bad."  
  
Cherry smiled sadly. "They are in the most protected part of our  
bodies... but it is not pleasant losing your Maiden Circuit, I'm  
afraid."  
  
Nabiki's eyes went wide. "Don't tell me that you...."  
  
Cherry nodded. "Twice, actually. Once by force, and once by choice, my  
Maiden Circuit has been removed from my body." She smiled. "To save  
Lorelei, and this world, it was a small price."  
  
Nabiki was silent for a moment. "Lorelei mentioned it... when we were  
imprisoned together. You sacrificed yourself to save her?"  
  
Cherry nodded. "To save her, and the world... and most importantly  
Otaru-sama. We would sacrifice anything for his sake."  
  
Nabiki nodded slowly, not speaking, but looking slightly disturbed.  
  
The shopping trip seemed to drag on and on. To Ranma it was horribly  
boring, but she forced herself to pretend to stay interested. After  
what seemed like hours, Nabiki managed to pick out an outfit that suited  
her. A pair of light greenish yellow jeans held up with a leather belt,  
along with a loose fitting blue shirt with a white stripe down the  
middle that showed off several inches of her stomach. They couldn't any  
shoes that she liked at that store, but Cherry and Bloodberry found a  
green on green shirt the same in the same size for Ranma, and a  
yellowish brown pair of shorts.  
  
Cherry gazed at Ranma for several seconds, analyzing her measurements  
with her onboard sensors. "Alright, Bloodberry, these should fit  
Ranma. Why don't you see if she likes them?" As Bloodberry walked off  
toward her fellow red head, Cherry turned to Lime, who had been  
fidgeting impatiently for several minutes. Lime, Ranma wears a five and  
a half shoe, could you find her something in her size? Boots perhaps,  
in yellow and green if you could find a pair."  
  
Lime blinked. "Huh?" Cherry sighed and repeated the instructions, and  
then a third time just in case.  
  
Bloodberry brought the clothing over to Ranma with a grin. "You're more  
of a tomboy type, like Panther, right?" She held out the shirt and  
shorts. "Cherry thought the color would suit you. Go ahead, try em  
on." Ranma sighed and went to a changing booth to do so.  
  
When she came out, Ranma shrugged. "I like em, can we go?"  
  
Akane came over, looking amused. "Don't you know how to shop Ranma?  
You don't just take the first thing you see." She took a good look at  
Ranma. "They do suit you though." Akane smiled. "We'll take them!  
It's good for you to wear something besides all those Chinese clothes  
you always wear."  
  
Ranma frowned. "I like Chinese clothes!"  
  
Akane rolled her eyes. "I know... just... try something different once  
in a while."  
  
Ranma looked down at herself. "I thought I was?"  
  
Akane nodded. "So you are. OK, Ranma, lets make a deal. You pick out  
at least one thing for yourself today, OK?"  
  
Ranma blinked. "And?"  
  
Akane glared at the smaller girl. "And that's it. Just do it,  
alright?"  
  
Ranma threw up her hands. "Alright! Alright!"  
  
Lime ran up holding a pair of yellow and green boots that looked like  
they would come up to the ankle. "Boots! And they're the right color  
too!"  
  
Ranma blinked, then shrugged. "Sure, why not? They look kinda cool."  
Trying them on she nodded. "They fit great Lime. I guess I'm done,  
eh?"  
  
Lime smiled brightly and ran off. "Yay! Boots!"  
  
Akane shook her head. "Oh no you don't, Ranma. You need something to  
sleep in to. Now come on!"  
  
Lime ran back, carrying another pair of boots. "Akane's size! Akane's  
size!"  
  
Akane blinked and checked the foot deep, bright yellow boots with brown  
trim. "They are the right size... but I haven't picked out an outfit  
yet Lime. I don't know if I'm going to be getting anything that will  
match."  
  
Lime pouted. "Boots."  
  
Akane glanced at the boots dubiously. "Well they are cute, but...."  
  
Lime continued to pout. "Boots!"  
  
Akane sighed. "They're very nice, Lime. Thank you."  
  
Lime brightened immediately. "Boots! Yay!" She ran off again to  
search for another pair."  
  
Nabiki walked up to them, glancing down at the bright yellow pair of  
boots Akane was holding. "Well now, those are... glaring, aren't they?"  
  
Akane frowned at her older sister. "Lime picked them out. She's really  
trying hard you know."  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "Hey, did I say anything about Lime?"  
  
Lime raced back to them with an even taller pair of bright blue boots,  
each with a red glass jewel placed on the front decoratively, presenting  
them to Nabiki. "Boots!!!"  
  
Nabiki looked at Lime in mild alarm. "Lime-chan... this isn't exactly  
how people usually shop...."  
  
Lime pouted. "Boots."  
  
Nabiki sighed and took the pair of boots from Lime's hands, glancing at  
the price tag. "What, only 15 mon! Alright!" She patted Lime on the  
back. "Great work, girl. We may make a shopper out of you yet." She  
tilted her head. "Now that I think about it, these are actually kind of  
cool." She waved to Otaru. "Otaru! We're ready!" Otaru nodded and  
went over to pay the store's owner.  
  
Nabiki took off her sandals and put on her new boots before exiting the  
store. "Now we just have to find you something nice, Akane."  
  
Akane shrugged. "I really didn't see anything I liked in there. I was  
thinking about something getting something special...." She turned to  
Bloodberry. "Bloodberry, I was wondering. Where do you shop for  
clothes?"  
  
Bloodberry grinned. "OK! I get the feeling you'll like this place,  
Akane." Bloodberry led the way, and Nabiki made her way to the front of  
the group to be able to talk to the tall marionette.  
  
"Bloodberry." Nabiki addressed her in a serious tone. "Could you tell  
me something about the relationship between you and Otaru?"  
  
Bloodberry looked surprised. "Me and Otaru? Well... I guess you could  
say, I love him." She smiled fondly to herself. "He's a great guy. He  
really cares for us." She frowned slightly sadly. "I just wish he  
could take some time to just be with me once in a while."  
  
Nabiki hesitated before speaking again. "All three of you love him,  
don't you?"  
  
Bloodberry frowned slightly, then glanced back at Cherry and Lime, who  
were walking on either side of Otaru looking cheerful. "Yeah." She  
sighed, then smiled faintly. "I think we figured out a while ago that  
none of us was going to get him just for ourselves. He likes all of us,  
and if he knows one of us is hurt, Otaru feels bad." She shrugged. "We  
try and keep it from him... when we're sad, because we can't stand to  
see him unhappy." Nabiki's eyes were wide, but again she said nothing.  
  
Bloodberry shrugged. "It's hard to explain I guess, if you don't feel  
the same way about someone yourself. I'd do anything for him. Anything  
at all." She grinned broadly. "And one of these days, he'll actually  
let me!" She winked knowingly at Nabiki, who found herself chuckling  
along with the boisterous Saber marionette.  
  
Before long they arrived at a specialty store, holding a variety of  
different exotic martial arts supplies and outfits. Bloodberry gestured  
around proudly. "I love this place! They have all the best stuff in  
here!" She walked by a section holding various formfitting outfits like  
the ones she and Lime wore under their outer clothes and nudged Akane.  
"Perfect for getting the attention of your guy, eh?" She winked at the  
short haired girl knowingly. "Or in your case, your girl. What do you  
think?"  
  
Akane blushed slightly, but nodded, eyeing the various outfits  
thoughtfully. A dark blue one-piece outfit that covered the legs but  
would leave the arms bear caught her eye, and she held it up. It had a  
white collar, and it looked like it would fit her like a glove.  
  
She hesitated, then nodded firmly. "I'll take it." Walking around the  
store for something to go with it, she spotted a sleeveless, off white  
Gi top with light greenish yellow borders. She grabbed it, holding it  
up to her body thoughtfully. "This is a bit like my gi at home... now I  
need a belt." After a bit of searching Akane found a black belt to go  
with the top, and a white headband that she liked. She went into the  
dressing room and tried on her choices.  
  
While Akane was in the dressing room, Nabiki went over to the corner of  
the store, where lime was looking interestedly at a rack full of  
different color sashes. "Hey Lime, can I talk to you?"  
  
Lime grinned and posed for her. "Hoh!" She tilted her head curiously.  
"What do you want to talk about, Nabiki-chan?"  
  
Nabiki chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "I wanted to ask you about how  
you feel... about Otaru, for example. He's the one you saw when you  
first woke up, right?"  
  
Lime nodded happily. "I love Otaru!"  
  
Nabiki nodded with a smile. "I can tell. So, how do you feel... when  
you're away from him?"  
  
Lime thought about that. "I don't like it. I want to be with Otaru all  
the time!"  
  
Nabiki quirked her head. "Really? All the time?"  
  
Lime blinked. "Um... well sometimes I go play with my friends in the  
forest... all the baby Pontas are so cute... and I talk with Yumeji...  
he's my friend too, and I go to the market and buy things for  
Cherry...." She giggled. "I guess I'm not with Otaru all the time."  
  
Nabiki nodded in agreement. "Not all the time. But you want to be with  
him when you're not?"  
  
Lime nodded. "Yup!"  
  
Nabiki patted lime on the top of the head affectionately. "Thanks for  
answering my questions, Lime-chan." She walked over and picked up a  
large white sash. "I bet Akane would like this one. Why don't you take  
it to Cherry and see if it fits?" Lime nodded and ran off, and Nabiki  
sighed to herself. "I guess there's only one way to know for sure."  
  
When Akane came out of the dressing room, a minute later, Bloodberry  
nodded with a grin. "Looks good, Akane... it needs something more  
though... But what?"  
  
Cherry came up with a large white sash. "How about this instead of that  
black belt? It'll go with your headband." Akane nodded and took off  
the belt, then let Cherry tie the sash around her waist from behind.  
  
Ranma walked up and blinked. "Hey, Cherry, I don't think you're  
supposed to put a big bow in back, are you?"  
  
Akane glanced around to see, and blinked. "Oh... well, actually...."  
She turned around and looked at herself in a mirror. "Actually I like  
it like that!"  
  
Ranma shrugged. "It's not bad." Before Akane could respond to that,  
the short red head glanced off to one side. "Hey! Bracers, cool!" She  
ran over to a shelf and put a set of dark blue bracers on her forearms.  
"Alright, now that's more like it!" She grinned. "Hey Akane, see? I  
did pick out something!"  
  
Bloodberry blinked, then nodded. "Works for me." She turned back to  
Akane. "Hmm, still needs something... ah, I got it." She went over to  
a rack and pulled out a pair of leather gloves. "Try these on." Akane  
blinked, then did so. Bloodberry stepped back and grinned. "Now that  
works."  
  
Ranma wandered over to the glove bin, and pulled out a fingerless glove  
that looked like it might fit her tiny hands. "This looks kinda cool  
too." She tried it on and flexed her hand experimentally. "And it  
don't get in the way either." She started searching through the pile.  
"Now where is the other one...." Minutes later, gloves strewed across  
the floor, Ranma growled in annoyance. "Darn it... and there isn't  
another pair I like!" She wrinkled her forehead. "Well, I don't care,  
I'll just get the one glove then. It's still cool."  
  
Akane sighed. "You sure, Ranma?"  
  
Ranma nodded firmly. "Yeah, lets buy this stuff so we can go home and  
eat!"  
  
Akane frowned. "You still have to get something to sleep in, Ranma."  
  
Ranma blinked, then walked over to the bodysuits. "Well... how about  
one of these?" She picked out a dark blue shoulderless one that would  
go halfway down her thighs and just cover her breasts.  
  
Akane blushed slightly, picturing Ranma in it. "Er... are you sure you  
want this one?"  
  
Ranma shrugged. "It's for sleeping, right? I can wear it under my  
clothes like Lime does, in case I get into a fight where I get my  
clothes wrecked." She grinned wickedly over at her ex-fiancee. "And  
I'll look damn sexy in it too." Akane's jaw dropped and Ranma smirked.  
"Heh. Never know when that'll come in handy in a fight... I'll take  
it." They headed up to the front to pay for their purchases, and Ranma  
glanced at Akane hopefully. "Now we're done, right?"  
  
Akane nodded. "For now. We can get some other stuff after we pay  
Otaru-san back."  
  
Ranma nodded happily. "Great, so we don't have to shop anymore?"  
  
Akane shook her head. "Sorry, we still need at least two futons."  
Ranma groaned in defeat.  
  
Nabiki went over to Otaru as they left the martial arts supply shop. "I  
think I'll drop by the palace and check up on Lorelei." She told him  
calmly. "I want to ask her some technical questions today. You can get  
the futons with Ranma and Akane's help?"  
  
Otaru nodded, looking slightly dubious. "Are you sure you want to go by  
yourself?"  
  
Nabiki frowned slightly at him. "Don't tell me you don't trust me."  
  
Otaru shook his head. "No, that's not it... you're just really new in  
this city, so I was worried you'd need a guide or something."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "I won't have any trouble. I can see the palace  
from here, and I know the way to your place fine. Go ahead, I want to  
talk to Lorelei about some stuff, and it's nothing you can help with,  
OK?"  
  
Otaru hesitated. "Well, OK, I guess you can do what you like. Just be  
careful."  
  
Nabiki raised an eyebrow, but his genuine look of concern won her over.  
"I'll be careful. I promise. I'll be back at your place before dark,  
OK?"  
  
Otaru nodded. "OK, Nabiki. Say hi to Lorelei for me."  
  
Nabiki nodded back and started walking off. "Sure. See you later."  
  
Akane and Ranma watched her walk off in some concern. "Want me to go  
after her?" Ranma whispered.  
  
Akane shook her head slowly. "No, Nabiki can take care of herself...  
and Godai's gone, remember? No, she'll be fine."  
  
Ranma nodded once. "Yeah, you're right."  
  
Cherry waved for them to catch up, as the rest of the group had gotten a  
bit ahead. "Come on, Ranma, Akane. The futon store is over this way!"  
  
*****************  
  
Nabiki walked toward the palace quickly, but not anywhere near as  
quickly as she knew she could run. If anything, Nabiki Tendo prefered  
to be at least a bit dignified.  
  
I do not run! Nabiki told herself firmly. Not unless there's a damn  
good reason. She ignored the ache in her chest as best as she could.  
I do not let my emotions get the better of me. I'm the Ice Queen of  
Furinkan high... I don't let my better judgment be impaired because of  
my feelings.  
  
The trip to the palace seemed to take hours, but it was really more like  
twenty minutes when she finally reached the front gate. "I'm here to  
see Lorelei." Nabiki told the gate guard coolly as she reached him.  
"Where is she?"  
  
The gate guard hesitated, then held out a hand in front of her. "Please  
wait here. I will relay your message." He nodded to the other man  
guarding that gate, and opened a small door in the middle of the gate to  
let himself through. Closing the door behind him he hurried off in the  
direction of the palace. Nabiki frowned at having to wait, but decided  
not to make an issue of it.  
  
When she was about to start complaining about the wait, the guard that  
she had first spoken to came back accompanied by the palace's main  
sentries, Tamasaburo and Baiko. "Come with us." Baiko told her, and  
they both turned to lead the way toward the main castle. Nabiki  
followed along without bothering to strike up a conversation with the  
two stoic palace sentries, instead focusing on memorizing their route,  
as well as all of the landmarks on the way in.  
  
After entering the palace they headed to an elevator, which they took  
down several flights of stairs. The elevator opened up into a  
futuristic corridor, which led to an equally impressive looking  
laboratory. Lorelei was inside, bent over a computer, and a marionette  
with short red hair was up against one wall with her eyes closed,  
enclosed in some sort of diagnostic device.  
  
Lorelei looked up as they came in and her questioning look turned into a  
genuine smile. "Nabiki! It's good to see you again." She stood up and  
walked over to the middle Tendo sister. "What brings you here today?"  
  
Nabiki smiled back at Lorelei, finding herself smiling genuinely for the  
second time that day. "Actually I had some questions I wanted to ask  
you." She walked into the room to meet Lorelei half way. "It's... good  
to see you too though."  
  
Lorelei quirked her head sideways questioningly. "What questions do you  
have for me?" The demure scientist glanced around as if just noticing  
their surroundings. "Oh dear... where are my manners. Would you like  
some tea? Why don't we go sit down some place a bit more pleasant, and  
we can talk."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "I'd like that. Please."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Good. I've been meaning to stop for a break for hours  
now, but I just can't seem to find a good excuse, so I am glad you  
stopped by." She started leading Nabiki out of the room, and Nabiki  
followed with a glance back at the marionette standing in the  
complicated looking device in the lab. "Since that isn't one of the  
Orange Blossoms, can I ask who that is?"  
  
Lorelei smiled faintly. "That is Tiger... I've been trying to fix her  
Maiden Circuit for almost a week now... being kidnapped stalled my  
research slightly...."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "You mentioned something about that before. Have you  
had any luck?"  
  
Lorelei hesitated. "Not really, I'm afraid. I believe I can repair  
her, but I'm not quite sure how to go about it yet. Since it's her  
Maiden Circuit that's damaged, its quite tricky, I'm afraid."  
  
Nabiki nodded again. "I can imagine." The two women were silent for  
awhile as they continued walking. When they reached the small tearoom  
Nabiki saw with slight amusement that there were already two cups set  
out for them on a tray.  
  
Lorelei smiled. "They do a very good job of anticipating my needs  
here." She sighed faintly. "Well, most of them, anyway."  
  
Nabiki felt a twang of sympathy. "I think I understand. You're stuck  
here, aren't you? You're the one and only female on the planet, so they  
treat you like the crown jewels."  
  
Lorelei smiled faintly. "Except I'm not on display five days a week."  
They shared a chuckle, and they both sat down on either side of the  
small table in the center of the room. "Now then... how can I help  
you?"  
  
Nabiki hesitated, then glanced at Tamasaburo and Baiko. "Could we  
talk... privately?"  
  
Lorelei blinked, then nodded, turning too the two palace guards.  
"Please leave us for now." She ordered quietly. "I'm in no danger in  
Nabiki's company."  
  
The two Amazonlike marionettes exchanged a long glance, then turned back  
to Lorelei. "Very well." Baiko agreed. "We will be outside if you  
call." They bowed slightly and left. Lorelei blinked in faint  
surprise. "They actually left me alone? Will wonders never cease."  
  
Nabiki frowned slightly. Why did they, I wonder? I had the impression  
they didn't really trust me.  
  
Outside the small room, the two sentries looked in though a large panel  
of one way glass. Tamasaburo's finger was on a button, while Baiko  
stood ready to burst through the glass at any sign of danger.  
  
Baiko spoke quietly, so as not to be heard through the glass. "Must we  
leave her unprotected?"  
  
Tamasaburo shook her head. "She is not unprotected. At any sign of  
danger, you will attack, while I will activate the hidden panel beneath  
Lorelei, taking her clear of the threat... should Nabiki turn out to be  
one." She paused, then continued, never taking her eyes of the other  
room. "Lorelei is becoming restless enough that she is likely to take  
chances with her safety, unless we allow her some sense of freedom.  
This is a necessary risk at this point."  
  
Baiko nodded in agreement. "Yes. Nabiki's combat abilities are  
minimal, in comparison to our own at this point. I should be able to  
reach her with approximately 0.03 seconds to spare. Given a worst case  
scenario that is."  
  
Tamasaburo nodded. "Agreed."  
  
Back in the tearoom, Nabiki finally broached the subject she had come  
about. "Lorelei, I wanted to ask you what you could tell me about  
Maiden Circuits."  
  
Lorelei blinked. "What exactly was it about Maiden Circuits that you  
wanted to know?"  
  
Nabiki hesitated for a moment. "Well... when Godai Kuno first told us  
about them, he said that they should have caused us to become loyal to  
them upon first sight... but obviously they didn't. Do you have any  
idea of why that might have been?"  
  
Lorelei put one finger along the side of her face, thinking intently.  
"Hmm... interesting. Yes, I did wonder a bit about that myself... but I  
think I can come up with a reasonable theory or two."  
  
Nabiki gestured for her to continue. "Please do."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Alright. Godai suggested that your Maiden Circuits  
were somehow at fault, correct?"  
  
Nabiki nodded. "Do you think that was the reason?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head after a moment. "No, it's just possible, but  
I've given the matter some thought in the meantime and I believe there  
is another explanation." She put up a hand. "This is only a theory,  
mind you. You see, Maiden Circuits were designed not only to give a  
marionette emotions, but as a fail-safe device as well. The Maiden  
Circuit, in theory, should cause a marionette with it to emotionally  
bond to the first friendly face they see. That way the marionette,  
despite having emotional responses, would not prove a threat to its  
creator."  
  
Nabiki nodded encouragingly. "In theory."  
  
Lorelei nodded back. "And in practice... at least when they are used in  
the manner for which they were designed. General Kuno, however, made a  
considerable change that altered the function of the Maiden Circuit when  
he created you, Akane, and Ranma. He gave you memories... a past. As  
soon as you became active, those memories affected your Maiden Circuits,  
causing them to start maturing at an accelerated rate."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "OK, I'm following so far, but why would that cause  
them not to work like he planned?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "General Kuno was a genius with computers, but  
he did not understand people, more specifically, how people mature.  
When a baby is first born, it is very impressionable, it bonds  
emotionally to the first thing it sees... usually its mother. This bond  
strengthens over the first few months, and never really goes away. An  
adult, however, has passed that stage of bonding. For a bond to form  
between adults, a certain minimum of trust is required. It can happen  
quickly, but not with just a look, not for an adult."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "I... I see. So... just seeing the Kuno's for the first  
time wouldn't have been enough to bond us too them, because our Maiden  
Circuits were more mature?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Exactly. The bonding only occurs under friendly  
conditions, remember, even when it works properly. A newly awakened  
marionette won't, for example, bond to something that attacks it when it  
wakes, it will wait until the first amicable contact."  
  
Nabiki nodded slowly. "And a marionette with a mature Maiden Circuit  
would have to feel... amicable about the person she sees to form a bond  
with them? In theory, I mean."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "That's correct. In theory. In fact, I suspect that  
you, Ranma, and your sister already have bonded, to each other. It's  
possible that you didn't even notice, if my theory is correct...." She  
frowned. "But from your line of questioning... and the look on your  
face, I suppose you have noticed something?"  
  
Nabiki nodded shakily. "Yes."  
  
Lorelei looked concerned. "What is it, Nabiki? I thought that perhaps  
you may have bonded to your sister, especially given the way you  
obviously care about each other... or perhaps it was Ranma?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head very slowly. "No... it wasn't them." She sat  
back and took a deep breath. "You see... I've been keeping my guard  
up... for a long time. I've done my best not to let my emotions cloud  
my thinking... especially when I need to think clearly... as I did when  
I found myself five hundred years in the future in the body of a  
robot." She took another deep breath. "From what you've said, and I'm  
inclined to agree with your theory, doctor, is that a marionette will  
bond with a person they see that makes them feel... happy, I guess, at  
least a little. Seeing Ranma and my sister in the same boat I was...  
all I really felt was my gut clench up inside. I was worried, scared...  
I just kept my feelings locked away until I could afford to let them  
out."  
  
Lorelei choked, a look of great sympathy coming over her face. "Oh  
Nabiki...."  
  
Nabiki winced visibly at Lorelei's look of concern. "Lorelei... don't  
look at me like that... I don't know if I can say this already."  
  
Lorelei's eyes went wide. "Oh my!"  
  
Nabiki nodded faintly, holding on to the arms of her chair tightly.  
"It's true... the person I bonded with... was you."  
  
End Chapter 11  
  
Please C&C, it's why I write!  
  
You can find almost all the previous Chapters to this at:  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/1449/ssl.html  
  
  



	13. 12

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru,  
Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi... or practically all of them,  
anyway. The title is stolen from Heinlein... with one letter s added.  
  
Strangers in a Strange Land  
Chapter 12  
  
Lorelei sat there, holding her teacup in front of her, as if she was  
paralyzed, following Nabiki's revelation. "Oh. Oh my." She said  
quietly. "Oh dear."  
  
Nabiki laughed shakily. "Heh... that's just about what my big  
sister would say in your shoes, Lorelei-san."  
  
Lorelei blinked, then took a breath. "Oh. I'm sorry, I'm not  
handling this as well as I should." She looked at Nabiki in concern.  
"Nabiki, are you sure about this?"  
  
Nabiki frowned slightly. "Do you think I wanted this? I've never  
felt anything like it before in my life, but I'm positive that I am not  
ready for it. I've tried to deny how I'm feeling, but it's useless."  
  
Lorelei took another deep breath, then nodded. "I understand,  
Nabiki. I'm sorry that you had to go through this alone." She leaned  
forward and put her teacup on the small table. "We could do some tests  
to make sure. I can check the data from your Maiden Circuit in a few  
minutes. The machinery to do so is all right here."  
  
Nabiki hesitated. "OK... do you have to... open me up?"  
  
Lorelei nodded but tried to sound reassuring. "It will be painless,  
I promise. We won't even have to shut down any of your systems,  
alright?"  
  
Nabiki nodded. "Alright... I've been morbidly curious about what my  
insides look like for a while now... is there any way I could watch?"  
  
Lorelei hesitated, then nodded. "If you wish, I can set up a  
monitor for you to see as well. Do you want to do it now?"  
  
Nabiki nodded quickly. "Yes... let's get this over with."  
  
Lorelei stood and Nabiki joined her. A moment later the outer door  
opened and Tamasaburo and Baiko were waiting for them outside. Lorelei  
and Nabiki exchanged a look of comprehension but said nothing, and the  
foursome headed back towards the labs. Before long, Lorelei indicated a  
lab table that was specifically designed for marionettes.  
  
"Here we are." Lorelei explained, gesturing. "Now, you'll have to  
take off your shirt."  
  
Nabiki pulled her new shirt over her head without hesitation, a wry  
smile suddenly gracing her face. "Is this how you treat all your  
patients, doctor?"  
  
Lorelei raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"  
  
Nabiki winked. "You know, getting them to take of their clothes and  
lay down for you to... inspect?" She stressed the last word enticingly,  
and Lorelei nearly jumped.  
  
"Nabiki!" Lorelei said disapprovingly. "Are you teasing me?"  
  
Nabiki nodded smugly. "Absolutely."  
  
Lorelei tried to hide a smile, then pointed at the table. "Your bra  
too, then lay back. I'll let you see what I'm doing on..." she pointed  
"that monitor." Nabiki glanced that way and waited. Lorelei went to a  
computer console and turned on the monitor, then wheeled over a complex  
looking diagnostic device. She turned it on and let it boot up, then  
turned back to Nabiki. "Alright, I can do this with the tools we have  
here, or if you want, I can show you how to do this yourself."  
  
Nabiki hesitated. "You mean opening my chest? You can show me how  
to do it to myself?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Yes, if you wish."  
  
Nabiki looked thoughtful then nodded. "Alright, show me. I might  
need to know this later."  
  
Lorelei smiled faintly and bent over Nabiki, putting her hands on  
her lower chest. "OK, Nabiki, I want you to put your hands here, and  
here... just put them on top of mine so you can feel exactly what I'm  
doing."  
  
Nabiki tried not to gasp out loud as the petite scientist touched  
her and did as she was instructed, covering Lorelei's hands with her  
own. "OK... now what?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Without tools this isn't normally possible to do  
unless the marionette does it herself, at least on Saber models. Just  
push like that, and turn slightly... yes."  
  
Nabiki's eyes widened up as she felt her chest lose all sensation,  
and she saw a panel open up, the artificial skin parting around it  
automatically. "Oh! I felt that. When I pushed... something responded  
inside me and opened up, right?" She blinked. "So I can do it by  
choice, but someone else can't just open up my chest?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "Not without a special tool. Anyway, lets  
take a look." Nabiki turned to gaze at the monitor and watched Lorelei  
reach back to the diagnostic machine and pull some wires out, and attach  
them to a faintly pulsing circular device in the center of her chest.  
  
Nabiki whistled. "So that's what it looks like. That's it, isn't  
it? My Maiden Circuit?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Yes it is... and everything looks fine so far.  
You're operating perfectly."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "Somehow I'd feel better if you told me I had just  
caught the flu."  
  
Lorelei blinked, then giggled softly. "Yes, I suppose that would be  
good news in your case, wouldn't it?" She sobered, looking over at  
Nabiki's face in concern. "Nabiki, I know this must be terribly hard  
for you. I want you to know that no matter what happens I'll always be  
there for you to talk to."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "Thanks, Lorelei." She waited for awhile as Lorelei  
turned to the diagnostic machine and read the readout silently. "So,  
Doc. What's the prognosis?"  
  
Lorelei glanced back at Nabiki, then at the monitor again. "Well,  
it appears my theory was correct. Your Maiden Circuit is functioning  
properly... and you were right as well. Your Maiden Circuit has  
bonded. From the data I've received from it, it's clear that you've  
bonded yourself to me."  
  
Nabiki sighed and lay back. "I knew it." She turned her head  
toward Lorelei again. "I know this isn't something you wanted, Lorelei,  
so... so just reverse it. Do whatever it is you do to switch the thing  
that's making me... feel like this about you... off. I don't want you  
to have to put up with a love sick Nabiki Tendo." She laughed sadly.  
"For that matter, I don't want to have to put up with a love sick Nabiki  
Tendo."  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "I can't do that, Nabiki. It's not that  
simple. The Maiden Circuit isn't something you can just selectively  
erase and start over with. If I wanted to erase your bond to me, I'd  
have to erase all the data on your Maiden Circuit. It would be like  
killing you. That seems a bit too drastic a solution."  
  
Nabiki blinked incredulously. "You mean I'm stuck like this? Isn't  
there anything else you can do?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "No... and even if you asked it of me, I  
couldn't erase you like that. I'm afraid there is nothing else I can do  
scientifically." She removed the wires from Nabiki's chest and closed  
the panel. "I'm sorry."  
  
Nabiki sat up, shaking her head. "Don't... don't apologize. If  
there is nothing you can do, then there's nothing you can do. I  
won't... I can't, hold it against you."  
  
Lorelei came around the table to stand next to Nabiki. "I didn't  
say there was nothing I could do... just that there is nothing I can do  
scientifically." She reached out and gathered Nabiki into a hug. "I  
won't let you suffer alone, Nabiki." Lorelei whispered into her ear  
softly. "I can't stop you from feeling the way you do, but I won't turn  
you away."  
  
Nabiki returned the hug hesitantly, suddenly acutely conscious of  
her state of undress. "I.... Lorelei... you don't love me... you're in  
love with Otaru. It isn't fair to you...."  
  
Lorelei pushed away slightly to look Nabiki in the eyes. "I didn't  
say that I would end up falling in love with you. This is just as  
strange to me as it probably is too you." She smiled faintly. "But  
that doesn't mean I can't be your friend. Otaru-kun will never see me  
as anything more than a friend. He has Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry to  
occupy his attention. I never had any intention of competing against  
them for his heart." She shrugged. "And I have yet to find anyone else  
I was willing to give my heart to."  
  
Nabiki closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy the intimate  
contact for a few moments longer. "Well... if we're going to be  
friends...." She began, pushing Lorelei away a bit more with  
reluctance. "You had better let me put some clothes on, or I'm likely  
to get the wrong impression."  
  
Lorelei backed away with a blush, glancing down at Nabiki's naked  
chest in embarrassment before whirling to find Nabiki's shirt and bra.  
"Oh my!" She picked up the clothing hurriedly and handed it back to  
Nabiki. "I didn't mean...."  
  
Nabiki chuckled quietly. "I'm sorry, I was teasing you again. You  
make it so easy sometimes."  
  
Lorelei frowned back at her with mock anger. "Why you!" She  
couldn't sustain the look and broke into giggles a moment later, Nabiki  
joining in just after her.  
  
Outside the lab, Tamasaburo turned to Baiko calmly. "It appears  
there is no longer a need to monitor Nabiki's activities in the palace."  
  
Baiko nodded back. "With her bonded to Lorelei, she is no longer a  
possible threat to her."  
  
Tamasaburo looked thoughtful. "With proper training, Nabiki could  
serve as an acceptable bodyguard for Lorelei, thus increasing her  
possible range of activities without decreasing her level of safety."  
  
Baiko nodded again. "Agreed. As Nabiki's actions are those of a  
human in most ways, we should see that she is trained as a human would  
be."  
  
Tamasaburo blinked. "Ranma and Akane were to inherit a martial arts  
Dojo in their past, correct? Due to their connection to Nabiki, I  
recommend we request that they begin training her at once."  
  
Baiko nodded a third time. "Agreed."  
  
**************************  
  
Nabiki arrived back at Otaru's apartment just before it started to  
get dark. She could see activity going on in the restaurant attached to  
the side of his place and decided to avoid the crowd, going around to  
the side entrance. As she entered the house she could hear the sounds  
of laughter and talk coming from the restaurant area. She listened for  
awhile, identifying Ranma's voice, as well as several of Otaru's other  
marionettes, and some unfamiliar male voices that seemed to be in a good  
mood.  
  
She smiled to herself. "Looks like Ranma is as popular as ever. I  
hope they haven't let Akane near the stove yet."  
  
Cherry's voice came ringing through the door to her suddenly.  
"Akane, no! That's cooking oil!" A sudden tumult followed the flash of  
fire, but before long things had settled down and there was another  
round of good-natured laughter from the restaurant.  
  
Nabiki crossed her fingers. "Don't hit anyone, don't hit  
anyone...."  
  
Otaru came in behind Nabiki suddenly, carrying a bucket of water.  
"I heard something about a fire?" He blinked. "Oh, Nabiki! Good,  
you're back."  
  
Nabiki waved a hand at the restaurant in dismissal. "It sounds like  
they got it out without any trouble, Otaru."  
  
Otaru sighed in relief. "Oh good. That's the third accident she  
and Lynx have had today." He reddened slightly. "Not that I mean  
anything by it, Nabiki. Akane really does seem to try hard... she  
just...."  
  
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Is a disaster in the kitchen? I know."  
  
Otaru shrugged. "At least she doesn't think gunpowder makes a good  
flavoring. Lynx has some very strange ideas about food."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "Well, that's a new one."  
  
Otaru shrugged again. "If anyone can teach them, it's Cherry. So,  
how did things go with Lorelei? Get your questions answered?"  
  
Nabiki nodded slowly. "Most of them, anyway. We even ran a  
diagnostic. I'm fit as a fiddle, everything running just like it  
should."  
  
Otaru nodded. "That's great! Are you going to go in and join the  
party?"  
  
Nabiki hesitated, then shrugged. "Why not. I could use a good  
laugh or two."  
  
Inside the restaurant, Ranma was acting as hostess, serving drinks  
and food, and not quite flirting with the customers, who were warming up  
to her very quickly.  
  
One middle-aged customer noticed Otaru and Nabiki entering and waved  
drunkenly to them. "Otaru-san, welcome!" He attempted to pat Ranma's  
shapely rear end affectionately as she moved past him, only to have the  
petite redhead dodge the attempt with a wink, causing him to nearly fall  
off of his stool. Levering himself back into place with a hearty laugh  
the man slapped Otaru on the back. "That's a fine picture of a  
marionette you have there, Otaru. How do you always manage to get such  
beautiful marionettes?"  
  
Otaru blinked. "Well, I...."  
  
The man interrupted, turning to Nabiki with a lecherous smile. "Is  
this one yours as well? She's a cutie too, ain't she?" He patted the  
stool next to him. "Why don't you sit down next to me and keep me  
company? What do you say to that?"  
  
Nabiki's expression was icy calm. "I really don't think so." She  
glared at Otaru once, then walked around to sit in on an empty stool to  
the right of the stove, well out of reach.  
  
The man blinked. "Hey, Otaru, what's wrong with your new one?  
Don't tell me you're going to keep them all for yourself, are you?"  
  
Otaru shook his head. "No, you don't understand, I...."  
  
Nabiki interrupted, her right eyebrow twitching dangerously. "I am  
not HIS!"  
  
The man eyed her in confusion. "Eh? Not Otaru's? Who is your  
master then?"  
  
Nabiki's eyebrow twitched again, more violently. "I belong to no  
one." She stated with deadly stillness in her body. "No man is my  
master!" She stood up, staring down the quickly sobering man in front  
of her. "Don't you ever forget that." Nabiki turned away and walked  
out of the room, leaving silence behind her.  
  
When she was out of the room a wave of shocked whispers followed  
her. "No master? She has a Maiden Circuit, doesn't she? Where did she  
come from?"  
  
The man who Nabiki had shouted at turned to the younger man in  
confusion. "Just what is going on here, Otaru-kun?"  
  
Otaru frowned slightly. "I was trying to tell you that they weren't  
mine. They're just staying with me for awhile, like Panther and Lynx."  
  
"So where are they from?" The man asked curiously. "Why does that  
one say she doesn't have any master?"  
  
Otaru hesitated. "Well... that's a bit complicated really. It's a  
long story."  
  
Several men spoke up. "Tell us! Yes tell us the story, Otaru-san!"  
  
Otaru glanced at Akane and Ranma questioningly. "Well...." Akane  
had been frowning at Ranma from her place next to Cherry but when she  
caught Otaru's look she just looked helplessly back and shrugged almost  
imperceptibly. Ranma had been watching Otaru closely but gave no sign  
of her thoughts.  
  
Otaru hesitated for a moment more before turning back to the small  
group of men. "Well why not?" He said, shrugging. "I guess it all  
started when Lorelei-san asked us to come down to help her with a  
problem...."  
  
Otaru went on to explain, skipping much of the detail about what  
Godai had claimed about Ranma and the others, giving his own thoughts on  
the events. "You see, Godai Kuno was plotting to take over the palace,  
so he didn't tell us the truth about Ranma and the others. Not only did  
he give them Maiden Circuits, but also he gave them the memories of  
women that lived on Earth. Kind of like what the Shogun did with  
Tamasaburo and Baiko, only because they have Maiden Circuits they have  
emotions too. From what Lorelei says, they're practically human."  
  
Ranma frowned slightly. Practically? She shrugged and turned  
slightly away. I guess that's what we are... almost human, but not  
quite. We're marionettes still, after all.  
  
Akane stared at the stove, trying not to react outwardly. We're  
just machines. What does it matter what we feel?  
  
Otaru missed their reactions and kept speaking. "Anyway, Godai  
kidnapped Lorelei and tried to blame it on them, but thanks to Gennai we  
found out that they couldn't have done it. So we found Akane and turned  
Ranma back on, and they helped to rescue Lorelei and stop Godai from  
taking over." There was a happy cheer, and the men started to ply Otaru  
with questions about everything that had happened.  
  
While Otaru tried to answer everyone, Cherry put a hand on Akane's  
shoulder in concern. "Akane, is something wrong?" The small marionette  
asked in a low voice.  
  
Akane shook her head and forced herself to smile. "It's nothing,  
Cherry." How can I complain to her about being a marionette? She  
accepts what she is because it's all she's ever known. Why should she  
understand?  
  
Cherry looked doubtfully at Akane. "Well... if you say so."  
Something is obviously bothering both her and Ranma-san. What could it  
be? Perhaps it has something to do with Otaru's story?  
  
Cherry put the thought in the back of her mind for later and went  
back to cooking, waiting for a chance to talk to Otaru about it.  
  
A few hours later when the restaurant was closed and Akane and Ranma  
had gone upstairs to help Bloodberry set out the futons, Cherry finally  
brought the matter up with her master. "Otaru-sama, I am concerned  
about Ranma and Akane. Something is bothering them, and I believe it  
might have something to do with your story tonight."  
  
Otaru blinked. "Oh, really? I hope I didn't say anything that  
would offend them... I guess I don't know how real human girls think.  
I wonder what I said?"  
  
Cherry frowned slightly at that, then brightened. "That's right!  
They are real girls. At least they have the memories and personalities  
of real girls. Perhaps they don't like being reminded that they're not  
human any more?"  
  
Otaru blinked, then reddened in embarrassment. "Oh no, what did I  
say? They must be feeling awful." He frowned thoughtfully. "I never  
really thought about what it's like for them, but I guess it must be  
very strange remembering being human, and then waking up as a  
marionette."  
  
Cherry nodded slowly, deciding not to take offense at that. "You're  
right, Otaru-sama. I'm sure they're feeling confused and sad."  
  
Otaru smiled at Cherry. "You're the best, Cherry. I don't know  
what I'd do without you around to help out." He sighed. "I'd better go  
apologize to them." Without another word Otaru hurried for the stairs  
and ran up.  
  
When he reached the top Nabiki confronted him. "Otaru, I think it's  
time we discussed a salary for Ranma if you intend for her to keep  
working as a waitress. And if you expect me to do your books for you we  
should talk about my fee for that as well."  
  
Otaru blinked. "What? You want a salary?" He hesitated. "Well,  
around here everyone just pitches in.... We buy things when we need  
them, so...."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "Not acceptable. I understand that you've  
been very generous with us, but we're not staying here forever. If we  
want to be able to afford our own place, we're going to need money."  
  
Otaru blinked again. "I guess you're right...." He scratched his  
head. "What do you think is fair?"  
  
Nabiki smiled and took his arm. "Let's go over your books and see  
if we can't come up with something we can both agree on." She started  
leading the bemused young man off by the arm.  
  
Otaru stopped suddenly, remembering. "Oh, I wanted to talk to Ranma  
and Akane."  
  
Nabiki glanced at him. "Oh? Very well, I'll look over those books  
while you're talking." She started downstairs. "Cherry has them,  
right?" Otaru nodded, then turned back around to find Ranma and Akane.  
They were in the side room and looked like they were talking quietly, so  
he went over to join them.  
  
"Can we talk?" Otaru began, looking a little embarrassed. "I  
wanted to apologize for what I said down in the restaurant." The two  
girls looked up at him together, both of them with somber looks on their  
faces.  
  
Akane shook her head. "You didn't say anything wrong, Otaru-san.  
We just aren't used to the idea that we're not... that we're not really  
human anymore. It's not an easy thing for us to accept."  
  
Otaru nodded slowly. "I understand... and I don't think I would  
deal with it as well as you two if something similar ever happened to  
me. I can't imagine what it must feel like to be... well to be so far  
from the place you knew as home, to be changed into something  
different.... I don't think I'd be very accepting if I was in your  
shoes." He smiled at them warmly. "If it means anything to you, I  
think you're two of the bravest people I know."  
  
Otaru looked back at Bloodberry and Lime, who were getting ready for  
bed, then back to Ranma and Akane. "It's taken me a while, but I've  
started to realize that being a good person doesn't depend on being a  
flesh and blood human. Lime and the others are some of the best people  
I know, and they're machines too. I'd trust them with my life any day,  
and I value their lives over anyone else I know. I don't think being a  
marionette makes you any less of a person, not if you have a heart."  
  
Akane smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Otaru." She glanced toward  
Ranma. "I think I'm beginning to understand a little more about what  
being changed into something different... can be like for a person. I  
know now that it doesn't change who we are inside, it just makes us  
different on the outside."  
  
Ranma nodded firmly. "Didn't I tell you that, Akane? I figured  
that out a while ago." She frowned to herself. "Not that what's on the  
outside can't be really annoying to have to live with."  
  
Akane shook her head. "Oh? You've never really explained why being  
a girl... um, marionette was so bad."  
  
Ranma chuckled a bit at the slip. "It's not really being a  
'marionette' that's bad." She explained patiently, putting an emphasis  
on the word marionette. "It's not being yourself anymore that tends to  
suck."  
  
Akane looked thoughtful then nodded. "I never really thought about  
it that way before, but you're right. I don't really mind being a  
marionette so much... although there are things about that I don't like,  
but not being human is the problem. I don't feel like me... oh, just  
about everything feels right, the sensations and everything, but the  
fact that it's not really my body that I'm in is the worst part."  
  
Ranma nodded. "That's the part you gotta get past, Akane. This is  
your body now, nobody else's. You're different, but everyone changes.  
You just have to accept who and what you are, and like yourself for what  
you are, for what you have, rather than what you don't."  
  
Otaru grinned. "That's great, Ranma! You really sound like you've  
given this a whole lot of thought."  
  
Ranma rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know, just about two years  
worth."  
  
Otaru blinked. "Huh?"  
  
Akane giggled. "I think Ranma means it just felt like two years."  
She winked at Ranma, then turned to Otaru. "Being a marionette isn't  
all bad. I'm stronger and faster than I ever was before... if I get  
hurt Gennai or Lorelei can fix me in no time. I'm not missing out on  
much." Her smile faded slightly. "I can't do everything as a  
marionette that I could as a human... but there's a lot I get in  
exchange." She sighed. "If Ranma can deal with it, then so can I."  
  
Ranma patted her shoulder. "Now that's the Akane I remember."  
  
Otaru smiled and nodded. "I'm glad you two are feeling OK. I've  
got to go and talk to Nabiki about your salary now, Ranma. She's  
looking out for you, you know."  
  
Ranma blinked. "She is?"  
  
Akane sniffed and nudged her. "Of course she is. Nabiki cares too,  
you know."  
  
Ranma hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, she does." Otaru  
nodded and left them to go downstairs again. Ranma sighed. "I'm glad  
that you're able to adjust, Akane. Otaru seems to think pretty highly  
of you."  
  
Akane blinked and turned to Ranma. "I suppose so... but you're the  
one that helped the most, Ranma." She paused for a moment then  
continued softly. "You always are."  
  
******************  
  
The next morning, it was back to business as usual for Otaru and the  
others. Ranma continued to waitress at the restaurant, and Akane  
continued to help Bloodberry with the chores, while Cherry continued to  
attempt to teach her and Lynx to cook. Otaru had left early for his  
boat, and Nabiki finished updating his books, having discussed possible  
changes with Otaru the night before. By the time lunch rolled around,  
Nabiki was finished with all the paperwork she could find. She ducked  
into the restaurant to say goodbye.  
  
"I'm going out." Nabiki announced as she came through the  
restaurant door. "I'll be back tonight."  
  
Ranma and Cherry both looked up curiously, and Akane walked over to  
her older sister. "Where are you going, Nabiki? Shopping again?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged nonchalantly. "I thought I'd see if I could find a  
job somewhere. We do need to bring in some money if we're going to move  
out to our own place sometime, you know."  
  
Akane frowned guiltily. "I guess I should be looking too. They  
don't really need another waitress here, and Cherry can handle the  
cooking without me. It shouldn't just be you and Ranma that get jobs."  
  
Ranma looked up quickly. "Hey, Akane, don't worry about it. I'm  
just keeping busy. It was Nabiki's idea that Otaru hire me on a  
salary...."  
  
Akane frowned. "Don't think I can't find a job. I'll get a great  
job in no time. You'll see!"  
  
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "If you say so Sis. If you need any help  
looking, tell me. I probably could find you something too."  
  
Akane shook her head. "I can do this myself. You'll see." She  
started pulling off her apron and turned to Cherry. "Is it OK if I go  
early? You don't need my help in the kitchen, do you?"  
  
Cherry shook her head quickly, beaming. "Oh no, Akane! We'll be  
fine here without you. Go ahead and go."  
  
Akane nodded and tossed Cherry her apron. "I will. Wish me luck!"  
With a wave, Akane marched determinedly out the door.  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "Good luck, Akane. You'll need it." She  
sighed. "Well, I'm off as well. See you all tonight." She nodded to  
Cherry and Ranma, then walked out the front door. Turning the corner,  
Nabiki headed directly toward the palace. She reached castle Japoness  
after twenty minutes and was escorted in almost immediately upon her  
arrival. Lorelei was working in her garden near to the top floor of the  
palace when Nabiki arrived.  
  
"Hello Nabiki." Lorelei smiled as she stood up, brushing herself  
off. "What brings you here today?"  
  
Nabiki hesitated before speaking. "I... I just thought I'd stop  
by. I was going to try and get a job today... but since I was passing  
by."  
  
Lorelei nodded calmly, not really believing Nabiki's explanation,  
but not wanting to upset her. "That's nice of you. It can be lonely  
here in the palace, as I am generally kept from seeing most visitors."  
  
Nabiki frowned. "I didn't know. Don't you have anyone around here  
to talk to?"  
  
Lorelei smiled faintly. "Well the boys down in the cloning chamber  
always seem pleased to see me when I come down, but we don't really seem  
to have much in common outside the work."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "That's right. No other women on the planet  
to talk to." She frowned thoughtfully. "And I'd guess that most of the  
men tend to put you too far up on a pedestal to talk to."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Even Otaru-san. I am so 'precious' to everyone  
that they treat me like I'm made of glass. It will be nice when the  
clones are born, and I'm no longer quite so... irreplaceable."  
  
Nabiki nodded in sudden comprehension. "It makes you feel like a  
thing. An object of value, but not a person, right?"  
  
Lorelei blinked. "I suppose so, in a way." She smiled faintly.  
"But you would know what that feels like as well."  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "So we have at least one thing in common."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "We do. I want you to know, Nabiki, that I  
consider you to be a person, not an object. You're as much a woman as I  
am, save that you're body is made slightly differently then mine."  
  
Nabiki frowned. "Am I really? Most women aren't programmed to fall  
in love with the first person they let their guard down with."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "I wish it hadn't happened this way... against your  
will. I don't consider that a reason to think of you as any less human  
though. Being in love, forced or not, is a very human trait. You know  
as well as I that humans can be programmed almost as easily as  
marionettes, given the proper conditions."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "I'll give you that one."  
  
Lorelei smiled and walked over to her. "Now what is this about you  
finding a job?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "We can't exactly freeload off of Otaru forever,  
and his place is crowded enough with six. Three extra of us is three  
too many."  
  
Lorelei nodded, looking apologetic. "I should have known I was  
asking Otaru-san for too much, but he'd never be the one to complain  
about it."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "No, you were right. There really wasn't  
any other place for us to go, so Otaru's was a good compromise."  
  
Lorelei hesitated. "If... if you're looking for a job, Tamasaburo  
and Baiko had a suggestion that they mentioned last night that might  
serve."  
  
Nabiki looked suspicious. "Oh? And what would that be?"  
  
Lorelei smiled. "You could work for me... sort of as a bodyguard  
and personal aid. They're always worried about my security, but having  
a Saber Marionette built just to protect me wasn't something I would  
agree to." She hesitated. "I wouldn't mind having you around,  
however...."  
  
Nabiki listened most of the way through, but as Lorelei explained  
further her face darkened. "What do you think I am, anyway? Just  
because my Maiden Circuit happened to bond to you in my one moment of  
weakness doesn't mean I want to be your personal slave!"  
  
Lorelei looked shocked. "I wasn't suggesting anything of the sort,  
Nabiki! I was willing to go along with the idea because I thought it  
would be nice to have someone around to talk to... someone near my age,  
intelligent, who doesn't think of me as some sort of symbol of  
everything female. I don't want a slave. I don't want you to feel like  
you have to do everything I say, but given the circumstances I  
thought...."  
  
Nabiki interrupted. "You thought that I was so head over heels in  
love with you that I couldn't say no? Well you can just forget it!"  
She turned and started quickly started walking away.  
  
Lorelei hesitated for a moment too long and Nabiki was through the  
door and heading down the hall before she could react. "Nabiki, wait!"  
Lorelei started running after her, discarding dignity as she raced into  
the hall and started to chase the short haired marionette down.  
"Nabiki, just listen to me for a minute!"  
  
Nabiki halted in mid stride and turned around, her face set as if  
out of stone. "Fine. One minute."  
  
Lorelei stopped in front of her and panted for several seconds.  
"Nabiki... please." She shook her head. "Don't think I'm trying to use  
your feelings against you. On the contrary, I've very concerned about  
what you've been going through. I may have inadvertently caused you to  
bond to me, but I don't want you to suffer because of that. I know that  
it hurts for you to be apart from me for even a day. I designed these  
circuits, so I should! I wanted to give you a legitimate way to spend  
time with me. If I didn't, you'd find yourself drawn here over and  
over, driven by your emotions. You're very strong, I'm sure you could  
resist for a long time, but it would make you miserable."  
  
Nabiki frowned deeper. "Thirty seconds."  
  
Lorelei rushed on. "At least if you're working for me you can  
control things to some extent. You have an excuse to come here, and  
you'll be well paid for your time so you can afford to get your own  
place if you like. You needn't actually do anything, just be here. I  
do my own cooking and cleaning, and aside from Godai I've never been in  
any danger, so it's not asking a lot...."  
  
Nabiki held up a hand. "Wait right there. You say you're doing  
this for me, but why should you? We barely even know each other, and  
you've already admitted that you're not sure if you could ever love me.  
Why the sudden burst of altruism?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "It's not altruism. I've already told you  
how much of a prisoner I am here. If you're around, however, I could  
get out of the palace occasionally, and not have to worry that my every  
movement was being monitored here inside the palace. There are few  
things out there capable of defeating a Saber Marionette, much less one  
with a Maiden Circuit, and none of them could get to me without notice,  
especially if you were around."  
  
Nabiki frowned. "So I'm really just be a bodyguard? Despite the  
body, I'm no fighter... and I've always preferred to let my brain do all  
my work for me... not my muscles."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "I understand. Listen, Nabiki, I don't wish for  
you to do anything you don't want to. Forget the job offer. I should  
have thought it out better before even asking you."  
  
Nabiki hesitated. "Just a minute. How much exactly were you  
thinking of paying me?"  
  
Lorelei blinked. "Oh? I hadn't really considered the exact  
amount. Marionettes hold most positions like this, so there isn't a  
regular pay scale to compare to. We're breaking a bit of new ground  
here, but I don't think it would be fair not to pay you. As I said, I  
consider you to be every bit as human as myself."  
  
Nabiki nodded, frowning thoughtfully. "Well, it's a unique  
position, with the possibility of extreme risk. I'm not quite so sure  
there isn't a pay scale to compare it too. Aren't there a number of  
companies that rent marionettes on a day by day basis? What do they  
charge?"  
  
Lorelei blinked. "I'm not sure... but I suppose we could find out."  
  
Nabiki smiled slightly. "As I'm more valuable then your average  
marionette, I'd say my services would go for considerably more, wouldn't  
you?"  
  
Lorelei hesitated, then nodded. "I agree. Why don't we call up one  
of those rental services and see what they do charge." She pointed down  
the hall. "There's a phone right over here." Lorelei led the way to a  
small room with some couches and a phone in the corner. "This is  
supposed to be a waiting room I believe. They have them all over the  
palace, apparently." She picked up the phone. "Yes, I'd like for you  
to dial me the number of a local marionette rental shop please. Yes,  
put it though to this phone."  
  
Lorelei waited patiently for several seconds, then nodded to  
Nabiki. "Hello?" She spoke into the receiver, purposely lowering her  
voice to sound more masculine. "I'd like to rent a marionette to serve  
as a bodyguard. What is your fee per week?" She blinked. "I see.  
Thank you. I'll call you back." She hung up and looked at Nabiki.  
"They told me that the fee is eight hundred mon a week and up, depending  
on options." She frowned slightly. "I'm not exactly sure how much that  
amounts to here. I don't really have the opportunity to go  
shopping...."  
  
Nabiki nodded with a grin. "I do happen to know exactly how much  
that is. I took the time to find out when I first came up with the idea  
of getting a job. So... if the basic model is worth eight hundred a  
week, how much do you think you should pay for me?"  
  
Lorelei hesitated. "Well... how does two thousand a week sound to  
you? I'll have to request it from the council, but I don't think  
they'll complain too much."  
  
Nabiki nodded, smiling. "It's a deal." She shook her head. "I  
don't believe I'm agreeing to do this... but it's more than I'd make  
anywhere else... and you're right, it does give me an excuse to... be  
with you." She took a deep breath. "OK, consider me hired. What would  
you like me to do first?"  
  
Lorelei smiled at her cheerfully. "How about lunch? I'll make it.  
All you have to do is eat with me. Then we can go break the news to  
whoever handles the money matters here in the palace. From what  
Tamasaburo and Baiko told me, however, it shouldn't be any problem.  
They seemed quite desperate to get you to agree."  
  
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "So it was a conspiracy, eh? Maybe I  
should ask for more than two thousand, and get them to talk me down."  
  
Lorelei giggled. "I promise not to tell on you. It's not my money,  
anyway."  
  
Nabiki rubbed her hands together. "OK, lets go find out whoever it  
is that pays the bills around here and find out what the market will  
bear... and after I've made a meal out of them, then you can make me  
lunch so we both can eat."  
  
Lorelei nodded firmly. "It's a deal."  
  
End Chapter 12  
  
Please C&C, it's why I write!  
  
You can find almost all the previous Chapters to this at:  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/1449/ssl.html  
  
  
  



	14. 13

All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru,  
Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi... or practically all of them,  
anyway. The title is stolen from Heinlein... with one letter s added.  
  
Strangers in a Strange Land  
Chapter 13  
  
It was getting close to dinnertime when Nabiki walked back into  
Otaru's apartment. She hesitated before heading into the restaurant.  
Looking around, she spotted Ranma flirting with the customers as usual,  
the men around her talking and laughing cheerfully. Nabiki noted that  
the crowd was larger than the night before, and smiled slightly, marking  
up the profit margin the restaurant would be making in her head.  
  
When the red head came by where Nabiki was sitting, she stopped,  
wiping her brow in mock fatigue. "There's quite a crowd tonight, ain't  
there?" Ranma noted unnecessarily. "What can I get for you, Nabiki?"  
  
Nabiki nodded towards the menu. "A pork cutlet. Put it on my tab."  
  
Ranma blinked. "You don't have a tab."  
  
Nabiki smirked at her. "So start me one. I'm good for it, Saotome,  
trust me."  
  
Ranma shrugged. "OK, I guess you are." She turned to tell Cherry  
what Nabiki's order was.  
  
Nabiki put a hand out, stopping her. "I need to talk to you later,  
OK Ranma?"  
  
Ranma nodded. "Sure, Nabiki. I'll take my break in a minute and  
eat with you." The red head walked off, passing by Cherry to give her  
the orders she had received, then swinging around the room again to  
check up on the customers before going back behind the counter to give  
Cherry and Lynx a hand with preparing. Several minutes later she  
brought two plates around to Nabiki, setting one down in front of the  
middle Tendo sister and the second one down in front of herself as she  
sat down next to her. "OK, what's up?"  
  
Nabiki glanced around the room, shaking her head. "You sure do know  
how to pack them in, Saotome, I'll give you that. I'll have to talk  
Otaru into giving you a raise if you keep bringing in customers like  
this."  
  
Ranma shrugged, smiling smugly. "Hey, what can I say, am I cute, or  
what? I know what guys like, and I'm not afraid to use it."  
  
Nabiki laughed. "No you aren't, are you?"  
  
Ranma blinked. "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? The  
restaurant?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "No, but speaking of that, you'd better not  
let Akane catch you flirting like you are, or you'll regret it."  
  
Ranma shrugged. "Akane ain't here, and besides, it's just  
business. You should know that, Nabiki."  
  
Nabiki raised her hands. "I do know it, but try convincing Akane of  
that. I saw how she was glaring at you yesterday, you know."  
  
Ranma frowned. "Yeah... I guess I should tone it down a bit, or  
maybe try to explain things to Akane. She's got nothing to be jealous  
about anyway." Ranma shook her head. "Not that I can figure out why  
she would be jealous anymore. I mean, it's not like she wants anything  
to do with another girl, right?"  
  
Nabiki frowned back. "I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you,  
Saotome. You think there's something wrong with a girl liking another  
girl or something?"  
  
Ranma blinked. "No... not really. I mean, I'm a girl now, I  
guess, and I sure don't like guys... not that way, anyway." The petite  
red head looked curious. "Why do you ask?"  
  
Nabiki's eyes widened for just a moment, then narrowed again so  
quickly Ranma wasn't quite sure if it had happened. "I'm thinking about  
Akane, you moron. If you think it's weird for two girls to get  
together, what do you think that would make her feel like?"  
  
Ranma raised her hands. "I didn't say that. I just don't think  
that Akane's really interested anymore, you know? I thought... back  
when I still turned back into a guy, that maybe... maybe in a couple  
more months...."  
  
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "That you and Akane would finally get  
together for real?"  
  
Ranma's head sank. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Fat chance, right?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "No. Actually, I had odds on you two tying  
the knot when you finished high school going at 50/50, and that was a  
conservative estimate. You two had nearly stopped fighting, and most of  
your fights were because something your father or someone else started.  
Since we've gotten here though, you two haven't fought once... not  
seriously anyway."  
  
Ranma looked worried. "What do you think that means?"  
  
Nabiki smiled. "Don't get your pants in a bunch, Ranma. I think  
that you're not fighting anymore because there isn't anyone trying to  
force you two together... and I think Akane's not as unwilling as you'd  
think for you two to become a matched pair of perverts together."  
  
Ranma growled threateningly at her. "Nabiki!" She imitated Akane's  
voice well enough that Nabiki had to bite back a chuckle of laughter.  
  
"Come on, Ranma." Nabiki said, shaking her head. "You know her  
better than almost anyone by now. Do you really think that Akane is  
going to let a little thing like you two both being girls get in her  
way? You should know by now that when she wants something, nothing  
stops her."  
  
Ranma sighed. "Sure... but does she really want someone like me?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "You two really are slow." She patted Ranma  
on the shoulder. "Just trust me, and trust her. She won't keep you  
waiting much longer, I think."  
  
Ranma sighed again, then glanced at the door. "So... where is she,  
anyway? Akane left before you did. Do you think she found anything  
yet?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "Knowing my sister... I have no idea. I do know  
that she'll keep trying until she does."  
  
Ranma blinked. "Oh yeah, speaking of a job, did you find anything?  
What was it that you wanted to talk to me about, anyway?"  
  
Nabiki grinned at the red head knowingly. "Oh ye of little faith.  
You doubt my ability to find employment, my soon to be sister in law?"  
  
Ranma snorted. "I take it that you found something?"  
  
Nabiki nodded confidently. "Of course. My new job is why I wanted  
to talk to you. You see, I need you to start training me."  
  
Ranma blinked. "What? You want me to train you? In Anything  
Goes?"  
  
Nabiki nodded. "That's right, Ranma. Well? Will you do it? I'll  
even consider paying you a small fee for the service, seeing as I hate  
to see the girl my sister is so deep in denial over making minimum  
wage."  
  
Ranma narrowed her eyes. "Why do you need me to train you? What is  
this new job of yours, anyway?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, if you must know, I'm  
Lorelei's new bodyguard. It pays better than anything else I could  
possibly get, at least that I'd be willing to do, that is."  
  
Ranma looked incredulous. "You're kidding! You, a bodyguard? I  
never pictured you doing anything like that, Nabiki."  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "It wasn't something I had envisioned for myself  
either, Saotome, but you've got to admit, with things the way they are  
on this planet, I'm not very likely to be able to work myself up in a  
company, or get any kind of position of authority. If there was a  
'glass ceiling' in Tokyo, the one here is made of solid steel. This  
planet hasn't seen a woman for so long, no one has any idea that we  
might just have more than sweetness and light under these pretty little  
bodies of ours."  
  
Ranma frowned. "Yeah, I think you're right about that. Some of em  
aren't so bad. The bunch around here has gotten used to Lime and  
company for long enough that they're better than most, but from what  
I've seen it ain't like that most everywhere else." Her face took on a  
worried expression. "I hope Akane's OK. She doesn't take very well to  
people putting her down."  
  
Nabiki snorted. "I hope Akane hasn't lost her temper too badly by  
now. Knowing her she's about an inch away from punching some idiot's  
lights out. This isn't Nermia. If she decks some poor guy they'll be  
picking up the pieces for miles, and she could get into real trouble. I  
should have had a talk with her before she went out."  
  
Ranma shook her head. "Akane won't hurt anyone. She's been really  
careful ever since she nearly cracked Cherry in two. She really doesn't  
want to hurt anyone else like that. She might get mad, but she's not  
going to go knocking anyone through any walls."  
  
Nabiki looked at Ranma in some surprise. "You seem to be pretty  
confident in her, don't you?" She smiled slyly. "Nice to see that you  
believe in the one you love."  
  
Ranma started to protest, then sighed. "Ah, forget it. I can't  
fool you anymore, can I?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "No, you can't. So, when can you start  
training me?"  
  
Ranma raised an eyebrow. "You're really serious about that huh?  
I'm not so sure you should be doing something so dangerous, Nabiki. I  
mean, you trained for what, a year, back when you were a kid? And now  
you want to protect the only human female on the planet? That's not  
going to be an easy job."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "It's not as bad as all that. From what  
I've heard, there are exactly nine Saber Marionettes with Maiden  
Circuits on this planet... and we're all right here in Japoness. There  
isn't much of anything else that can stand up to one of us, at least  
nothing smaller than a tank... which I shouldn't have to worry about, as  
if anything that large starts coming her way, it'll get spotted by  
Tamasaburo and Baiko way before it can get close. All I have to deal  
with are things like assassins and combat marionettes."  
  
Ranma rolled her eyes. "Oh is that all? You weren't awake for the  
fight with those Orange Blossoms. They were really tough, you know.  
Even I had some trouble with them."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "I had to fight a pair of Cherry Blossoms  
when I was at Godai's place. They weren't that bad, even with your  
moves, Ranma." Well, they weren't too hard for me when it was Godai's  
program doing the fighting for me... but I'm not telling Ranma that!  
  
Ranma shook his head. "Those things were a lot slower then the ones  
at the palace, and what if you had to deal with more than one?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "That's why I'm asking you to train me, Ranma.  
Tamasaburo and Baiko will be around to help out if there's real trouble  
anyway, but they want you to train me if I take the job."  
  
Ranma sighed. "I don't have any choice, do I? Akane would kill me  
if I let anything happen to you because I didn't want to help." She  
frowned. "But if Lorelei wanted a bodyguard, why didn't she ask someone  
like me? I can handle just about anything that comes. I'm the  
strongest marionette on this planet, right?"  
  
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Strongest ego, anyway. Sure you could  
take the job, Ranma. Sitting around, listening to Lorelei talk to  
scientists for hours on end, watching her work in a lab, waiting around  
while she gardens, following her into the bath...."  
  
Ranma blanched. "Oh. On second thought, I guess it'd be pretty  
boring, huh?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "If it pays well, I can afford to be bored. So,  
will you teach me or not?"  
  
Ranma nodded. "Yeah." She looked thoughtful. "Now that you  
mention it, I could start lessons for Lime and the others too. Maybe I  
could even start my own dojo finally?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "I wouldn't think too far ahead, Saotome.  
Let's take this one step at a time at first."  
  
Ranma hesitated, then sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't  
know if anyone would want to learn from me, anyway." She glanced at  
Nabiki. "How about tomorrow morning, for an hour before breakfast?  
What do you say?"  
  
Nabiki sighed. "Whatever you say... Sensei."  
  
Ranma glanced around and jumped up. "Whoops, we've been talking for  
so long I forgot. I've got to get back to work. Cherry's falling  
behind without me." She nodded at the small longhaired marionette, who  
nodded back looking relieved. "I'll be with you in a second, Cherry!"  
  
Cherry smiled and pointed at the entrance to the restaurant. "Four  
more customers are waiting, Ranma! Could you take their orders please?"  
  
Ranma grinned. "I'm on it, Cherry-chan!" The petite red head  
skipped off to work the customers again, and Nabiki went back to her  
meal. Several minutes later, Akane walked in, visibly steaming over  
something.  
  
Nabiki picked up on her sister's mood at once. "Job hunt didn't go  
well, I take it?"  
  
Akane sniffed angrily and sat down next to her older sister. "You  
could say that. Half the places I tried they couldn't seem to  
understand what it is I wanted, or thought I was broken or something.  
The other half wanted to know who they would be paying for me! Some of  
them kept looking around for my "master' as if it was all one big  
joke." She shook her head. "There was one or two that were willing to  
'rent' me... I almost did take one job, until I found out what he  
wanted to rent me for! I should have known when he kept asking  
questions about the quality of my manufacture and my programming."  
  
Nabiki's eyes widened. "You're not implying what I think you're  
implying, are you?"  
  
Akane growled. "I sure am... he apparently leases his 'stable' of  
marionettes from various manufacturers, so that his clients don't get  
bored with the same ones over and over. He explained it to me while he  
was negotiating my price with me...." Her face flushed darkly. "Once I  
found out what it was he was selling, I left... and he had the nerve to  
try and stop me!"  
  
Nabiki frowned worriedly. "You didn't hurt him too badly, did you  
Akane?"  
  
Akane's eyes widened. "You're worried about that... that... pimp  
instead of me? No, I didn't hurt him, thank you very much. I just kept  
going, and he couldn't hold me... and I was afraid that I'd kill him, I  
was so mad that if I had started hitting him, I might not have held  
back."  
  
Nabiki put her hand on Akane's arm. "Which is why I was worried.  
Not that you'd hurt the guy, really, but that you'd get in trouble for  
it. We don't have any legal rights here on Terra Two, remember? What  
that guy does is probably perfectly legal. No different than selling  
hentai video games or videos would be back in Tokyo.... He might not be  
respected for it, but he's got every right to do it."  
  
Akane looked shocked. "Don't tell me you're defending that scum?  
Why he's using...."  
  
Nabiki interrupted. "Keep you voice down, will you? We don't want  
to disrupt Cherry's customers. Yes, he's using marionettes to entertain  
men. What exactly do you think that marionettes are usually built for,  
anyway? Sure, a bunch of them are used as sentries, and lots more, like  
Gemini, are companions and servants for lonely guys like Gennai. A good  
percentage of them have more uses than that... as the Kunos should have  
made perfectly clear to you by now. And so what if they do? Your  
normal marionette has no emotions, no consciousness. They are machines,  
pure and simple."  
  
Akane protested quietly. "But...."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "But nothing. Sure, Lime, Cherry and the  
others here aren't like that and neither are we, obviously, but you've  
got no reason to be shocked at how some guy uses his marionettes. He's  
got the right to do whatever he likes with them. We're different, but  
how is he supposed to know that?"  
  
Akane sighed. "I guess you're right, Nabiki. But... I'll never  
accept being treated that way."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "I'm not saying you should. I just want you  
to understand why you ARE getting treated that way, so you don't lose  
your temper and pound some poor idiot who's only crime is not knowing  
any better. People like Lorelei and Otaru are the exceptions, not the  
rule. Even Gennai tends to think of us as more things than people... or  
haven't you noticed. Sure he's nice, but he doesn't really act as if we  
have much in the way of minds of our own."  
  
Akane frowned. "Gennai's not like that." She hesitated. "Not  
really. Maybe before... but he tries to treat us like people." She  
shrugged helplessly. "I can tell sometimes that he forgets we can  
think... but he does try. Lots of the men who come into Cherry's  
restaurant are like that. They know we're not regular marionettes, and  
they do try and treat us more like...."  
  
Nabiki continued the sentence as Akane faltered slightly. "As their  
neighbor's dog, maybe? They treat us like pets they don't own. Waving,  
talking nicely to us, but never to us as equals. Bloodberry and Cherry  
don't seem to mind, and Lime acts enough like a puppy that it just about  
fits.... I'm not sure Lynx and Panther even care about anyone besides  
their precious Faust, but they get the same treatment. Haven't you seen  
it?" She waved a hand at the other side of the restaurant. Nabiki had  
purposely sat down in the corner at the far end of the bar, so she could  
have some privacy, but as she waved several of the men waved back  
cheerfully, not being close enough to hear her conversation with Akane.  
  
Nabiki rolled her eyes and turned back to Akane. "Not that this  
bunch is all that different than what we were used to back in Tokyo.  
But come on. This bunch treats us at best like a favorite mascot or  
something."  
  
Akane glared at her older sister. "Nabiki, that's not a very nice  
thing to say about Lime." She hesitated. "I guess I can see your point  
about the men... and you're right. Guys in Tokyo used to act pretty  
much the same."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "Like we're great to have around, but not for our  
brains. But that's from a group that have been around marionettes with  
Maiden Circuits for a year or so now. They've gotten used to the idea,  
sort of, but to the rest of the people, especially those who deal with  
normal marionettes all the time, we're machines, nothing more, nothing  
less. If you expect anything else then prepare to be disappointed."  
  
Akane sighed. "I just don't want to accept it... but I don't seem  
to have much choice, do I? I'm not giving up though. I'll find a job  
yet." She glanced at Nabiki. "I don't suppose you found anything, did  
you?"  
  
Nabiki nodded. "As a matter of fact, I did. You're looking at  
Lorelei's new bodyguard."  
  
Akane blinked in astonishment. "A bodyguard? You? You're  
kidding!"  
  
Nabiki frowned. "Why, don't think I can handle it?"  
  
Akane hesitated. "Well... it's not like you spent much time  
training with father. You never fight, anyway. You always leave that  
to Ranma or me."  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "So I'm not a brawler like you two. That doesn't  
mean I can't protect someone. Most of it is just standing by and making  
sure nothing dangerous happens. I'm not going to have to fight all the  
time or anything. Just being in this body is advantage enough for most  
things, anyway. Nobody's going to try anything with a Saber Marionette  
around, so I won't have to do much fighting."  
  
Akane frowned. "These bodies are really strong and fast... but if  
something was to happen...."  
  
Nabiki put up her hands placatingly. "I haven't completely lost my  
senses, Akane. I got Ranma to agree to train me, so that if something  
does happen, I'll be ready. Besides, this job will pay better than  
anything else I could possibly get... that I'd be willing to do,  
anyway."  
  
Akane stared at Nabiki quietly for several seconds, looking  
thoughtful. "I guess I could do something like that... maybe."  
  
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And who would you be protecting?  
Who do you know that needs a bodyguard... and can pay for one?"  
  
Akane hesitated. "Well, maybe some rich tycoon or something...."  
  
Nabiki looked dubious. "Who would be expecting complete obedience  
from you. You know they do have marionette services that rent out  
marionettes as bodyguards. Those marionettes are considered  
expendable... and you'd probably be bored out of you mind the rest of  
the time."  
  
Akane blinked. "I didn't think of it like that. If it's so bad,  
why are you doing it?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "It's not the same thing. Lorelei knows  
full well that we're as human as she is... mentally at least. Spending  
most of my time hanging out with one of the few humans on this planet  
that treats us like people isn't my idea of a rotten time. Sure, it'll  
be dull occasionally, but I could do a lot worse."  
  
Akane nodded. "I can see your point. So... do you think Lorelei  
might be looking for another bodyguard?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "You could ask her if you'd like, but I don't  
think so. She's already got Tamasaburo and Baiko, remember? The reason  
I got the job is because Lorelei could use some company that isn't  
either emotionless or male. We're the only girls on the planet after  
all."  
  
Akane sighed. "I know. I don't think I could forget it." She  
shook her head. "I'm going to find my own job. There must be somebody  
else out there worth working for."  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "Good luck. Listen, don't worry about it too  
much. With what I'll be making and the money Ranma's been putting into  
the restaurant here, we'll be more than fine... at least in the money  
department. If you decide to stay around here and help Cherry with the  
restaurant, or maybe find out if Otaru needs any help fishing...."  
Nabiki flinched. "On second thought, you keep trying to find a good  
job. I'm sure you'll find something!" She closed her eyes. What was  
I thinking? Akane around either food or large bodies of water is not a  
good thing.  
  
************************  
  
Late that night, after everyone else had drifted off to sleep,  
Nabiki found herself lying awake. The image of a woman a few years her  
senior, with long, reddish brown hair framing an angelic face....  
  
Nabiki shook her head violently in denial. No! Stop thinking  
about her! She sighed. "Why can't I stop thinking about her? Why?  
Nabiki closed her eyes and slowly lowered her right hand down her belly  
and into her panties, where it slipped into the space between her legs.  
Slowly she started to finger herself. Suddenly, Nabiki jerked upright  
out of her blankets. "What in the hell?!?"  
  
Akane rolled over, blinking blearily up at her older sister.  
"Nabiki? What are you doing?" She blinked twice, glancing down at  
where her sister's hand was currently residing. "Nabiki!"  
  
Nabiki's eyes widened. "Eep!" In a flash she whipped her hand out  
of her panties, then grabbed her blankets to cover up again.  
  
Akane rolled her eyes. "Nabiki...."  
  
Nabiki shrugged, trying not to appear as embarrassed as she was.  
"What? Don't tell me that you've never indulged an urge or two. I  
should know, sleeping next door to you for the last couple years."  
  
Akane blushed slightly. "Well at least I did it in private!" She  
hissed back in a loud whisper. "Sheesh, Nabiki. What if someone else  
had woken up and caught you?"  
  
Nabiki chuckled. "I'd have given lessons. I have the distinct  
feeling that these marionettes have no idea about masturbation."  
  
Akane's eyes went wider and she put her finger to her lips  
warningly. "Shh! Nabiki, what if they hear you?" She leaned in  
slightly, lowering her tone of voice. "What made you call out like  
that, anyway?"  
  
Nabiki flushed. "None of your business!"  
  
Akane put her finger to her lips again. "Shh! I'm sorry, it just  
sounded like something was wrong."  
  
Nabiki frowned. "If you must know, something was wrong."  
  
Akane blinked. "What?"  
  
Nabiki blushed. "I'm not sure... you interrupted me in the middle."  
  
Akane blushed right back at her. "Oh... you mean something is  
wrong... down there?"  
  
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "You mean besides the fact that the Kunos  
apparently didn't believe in body hair? Yes... there was something  
else.... It just didn't feel right. Everything... er... seems to be in  
the right place but... the sensations were all wrong."  
  
Akane blinked again. "Really? Are you sure?"  
  
Nabiki hesitated. "Why? Don't tell me you want me to check again?"  
  
Akane's face flushed bright red. "No! Well... not exactly...."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "Hang on... and don't watch if you're too shy." She  
reached under her blanket and closed her eyes again. Akane could see  
subtle movement under the blanket and couldn't seem to stop blushing,  
but kept silent. Nabiki's eyebrows twitched violently and her eyes shot  
open again. "Ah...."  
  
Akane blushed even brighter than before. "Nabiki...?"  
  
The middle Tendo sister shuddered once and blew out a breath. "It's  
not... bad... exactly. It's just wrong." Experimentally she reached up  
into her shirt and cupped her right breast. "OK... ah... ahhhh....."  
Akane's eyes went wider and wider as Nabiki's hand roamed around under  
her shirt. "Damn it!" Nabiki swore under her breath. "Couldn't they  
have gotten that right?"  
  
Akane blinked in concern. "What's wrong? Doesn't it... feel  
right?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "No... and I figured out what it is. My  
hand feels normal enough against my skin... and I start getting  
physically... you know." She blushed. "I "nip" out. But my nipples  
feel strange... different. You know how you feel when you're horny...  
and you're really attracted to someone? Or you're touching yourself and  
you start to get wet?" Akane nodded, blushing bright red. Nabiki shook  
her head. "It's all wrong. The feelings, they're off. It's like when  
they built my nervous system they crossed a wire in my sex drive."  
  
Akane looked shocked. "The Kunos? You don't think they did it too  
you on purpose, do you?"  
  
Nabiki frowned. "I don't know." She shook her head after a moments  
thought. "I can't see why they would. Godai seemed to want us as  
'accurate as possible.'" She blushed slightly. "And it's still...  
pleasant... in a way. It's just wrong."  
  
Akane hesitated. "Do you think it might be just you or...?"  
  
Nabiki frowned. "Why should I know? Find out for yourself if you  
want to know."  
  
Akane hesitated again. "Me? Here?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "If I can do it, I don't see why you can't."  
  
The door to their small room slid open a couple feet. "Yeah."  
Bloodberry said reasonably. "Why can't you?" She was kneeling right by  
the door, looking interested.  
  
Cherry was just behind the larger red haired marionette, looking  
like she wanted to hide. "Bloodberry!" She pulled the larger  
marionette back slightly by the elbow. "Don't be so rude!"  
  
Bloodberry glanced back at her smaller companion. "What? I'm not  
being rude. I'd just like to know what Nabiki meant about the feelings  
being wrong... and what masturbation is exactly?"  
  
Akane was blushing bright red, but at the last question she  
blinked. "What? You mean you really don't know?"  
  
Bloodberry shook her head. "I think it has something to do with  
sex... and I thought I knew all about how to have sex with a guy... but  
that's not it, is it? What is masturbation anyway?"  
  
Cherry protested faintly. "Bloodberry!"  
  
Bloodberry smirked. "Don't "Bloodberry" me, Cherry. I know you  
want to know just as much as I do."  
  
Nabiki smirked. "So, Akane, you want to answer this one, or should  
I?"  
  
Akane blushed again. "Nabiki? Me? No... what if Ranma wakes up?"  
  
Nabiki glanced over at the petite redhead still snoring away just a  
few meters away. "Do you think Ranma would like to know about it as  
well? Or do you think she's already figured it out for herself?"  
  
Akane turned a brighter shade of red and Nabiki could almost see  
steam coming out of her ears. "She had better not have!" Akane  
growled. "That pervert."  
  
Cherry nodded to herself. "I knew it was something perverted...."  
  
Bloodberry's eyes glowed. "OK, now I really want to know!"  
  
Nabiki grinned and shrugged. "Tell you what, Bloodberry. I'll give  
private lessons later... this really isn't the time or the place.  
Besides, I want to find out what's wrong with myself first."  
  
Bloodberry looked disappointed. "Are you sure?" Nabiki nodded to  
where Otaru and Lime were still sleeping, just past Panther. Those  
three were still sleeping soundly, but on the other side of them Lynx  
had woken up and was looking over curiously.  
  
The blue haired marionette crawled over quietly to join them. "What  
are you four discussing?"  
  
Nabiki waved her off. "Tomorrow. Unless we want everyone else  
waking up, I suggest we leave this for tomorrow."  
  
Bloodberry sighed. "Alright... you've got me curious now... but  
I'll wait. Goodnight."  
  
The others nodded. "Goodnight."  
  
Everyone crept back to their futons, and Akane slid their door shut  
again. "What are you going to do tomorrow, Nabiki?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "Besides explain to a bunch of marionettes how to  
play with themselves? There's only one person I trust enough to help me  
with this... Lorelei. I'll go talk to her."  
  
Akane sighed. "I guess you're right. I don't know if I'd want to  
go to Gennai-san with something like that. He's nice and everything,  
but I would be too embarrassed to tell him."  
  
Nabiki chuckled. "Nice, as in a nice dirty old man?"  
  
"He is, isn't he?" Akane giggled. "He means well though."  
  
Nabiki shrugged again. "I guess so. Anyway, go to sleep. I'll  
handle things in the morning."  
  
Akane sighed. "Alright. Goodnight, Nabiki."  
  
Nabiki nodded with a sigh of her own. "Goodnight, Akane."  
  
***********************  
  
That morning, for Nabiki, began with Ranma waking her up at the  
crack of dawn. "Rise and shine!" The petite red head whispered loudly  
to her. "Time for you to start training!"  
  
Nabiki glanced at the red head blearily. "It's still dark out,  
Ranma? Can't this wait a couple more hours?"  
  
Ranma shook her head and grabbed Nabiki's covers. "Nope, now get  
up, or else."  
  
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Or else what? You'll toss me out the  
window? I seem to remember Genma thinking that was a great way to start  
the day. You planning on imitating your old man, Saotome?"  
  
Ranma flinched. "Hey, my old man my have been an idiot, but he knew  
a lot about how to train someone. I mean, you've got to admit, I was  
the best around."  
  
Nabiki sniffed. "I'm not you... and you're not your father."  
  
Ranma frowned. "If you don't work hard at this, you won't be any  
good. I don't want you to get hurt because you don't know how to take  
care of yourself."  
  
Akane rolled over. "Ranma, I'm glad you're concerned about  
Nabiki... but keep it down please? You'll wake everyone up."  
  
Ranma glanced at their door and held up her hands. "I'm trying, but  
we've got to get started early if Nabiki is going to learn anything  
today."  
  
Nabiki sighed and pulled her covers off. "Fine, fine.... I can see  
I'm not going to get any more sleep anyway." Ranma goggled at Nabiki  
for a moment then turned her back in embarrassment. Nabiki glanced down  
at the bra and panties she had worn to bed and grinned. "You sure you  
still don't want to throw me out the window? I'm sure the neighbors  
wouldn't mind the show."  
  
Ranma choked back a gargled cough. "Just put on some clothes, OK?  
You're not going to learn anything if you're not serious about this,  
Nabiki."  
  
Nabiki frowned. "Fine. You want serious? I'll show you just how  
serious I can be, Ranma." She grabbed her clothes and quickly started  
to dress. "Go out in back, and I'll join you in a minute." Ranma  
nodded and left, and Nabiki turned to glance at Akane, who was still  
huddled beneath her blankets. "Aren't you coming, Akane? I know you've  
been wanting Ranma to train with you."  
  
Akane shook her head. "Spar with me, there's a difference.  
Besides, all he's... she's going to do today is go over the basics. I  
could teach you that much myself."  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "Fine, leave me to Ranma's care. With any luck,  
I'll be jumping out of a pit of starving cats by the end of the week."  
  
Akane chuckled softly from the comfort of her futon. "I'll be sure  
and find you some nice catnip."  
  
Out in the back yard, Ranma was waiting when Nabiki showed up a  
couple minutes later. "OK, lets get started. Why don't you start by  
showing me what you already know, and then we'll work from there."  
  
Nabiki nodded, and got into a horse stance, trying to recall the  
lessons her father had given her long ago. She went through everything  
she could remember, rather pleased as she continued at just how much of  
it was coming back to her. After several minutes of doing punches and  
kicks, and running through what she could recall of the only kata she  
could remember, Nabiki stopped.  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "That's just about everything I can remember.  
What do we do now, sensei? Aren't we supposed to stretch or something  
first?"  
  
Ranma shook her head. "No... these bodies don't need to warm up to  
work... I figured that out a while back. Also we're not going to have  
to do any work building up your muscles... that saves us some time.  
Strength training is kind of pointless when you're mechanical." Ranma  
frowned. "What you've got to do is learn the basics all over again.  
The only way you're going to get any better is for your form to be  
perfect. You've got most of the basics down alright, but you've picked  
up a lot of bad habits too. The hard part will be getting you to get  
rid of them."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "OK, what first?"  
  
Ranma nodded. "Well, first let's show you how to punch."  
  
Nabiki's shoulders sagged. "I thought I already knew how to punch."  
  
Ranma shook her head. "That is going to be your worst problem. You  
think you do, so you're not going to want to change. I want you to  
forget what you think you know, and learn it all my way, OK? When we're  
done you'll punch twice as fast, and twice as hard, without being the  
slightest bit faster or stronger, OK?"  
  
Nabiki blinked. "Form can't make that much of a difference, can  
it?"  
  
Ranma nodded seriously. "You had better believe it."  
  
Nabiki took a deep breath. "Yes, Sensei. I'm listening. So, show  
me how to punch already."  
  
An hour later, Nabiki was bored out of her mind. She had been  
throwing punches the whole time, with Ranma coaching her the whole  
time. At the least she wasn't getting tired, and it did seem to be true  
that the way Ranma had shown her seemed a whole lot better than how she  
had used to do it.  
  
"I've got it, I've got it." Nabiki growled after Ranma corrected  
her stance slightly for what must have been the hundredth time. "I've  
been doing these perfectly for the last half hour. Let's move on to  
something else, OK?"  
  
Ranma looked her in the eye. "Perfectly?" She nodded. "You're  
form is fine... now. You're right, you have been doing them right for  
the past half hour."  
  
Nabiki groaned. "Then why didn't we go to something else yet?"  
  
Ranma shook her head in dismay. "I thought you were going to take  
this seriously?"  
  
Nabiki frowned. "I am... I'm still here, aren't I? Do you really  
have to waste my time just to see if I'm serious about this?"  
  
Ranma shook her head. "I am not wasting your time. If you had just  
stopped when you had gotten it right the first time, you might have gone  
back to doing it the wrong way tomorrow. This way, you'll remember how  
to throw a punch the right way, in your muscles...." Ranma blinked.  
"Or will you? Darn it, I keep on forgetting these bodies aren't human.  
Does muscle memory even work like it's supposed to?"  
  
Nabiki interrupted. "Muscle memory? What are you talking about?"  
  
Ranma blinked. "You know, if you do something enough times, you're  
muscles and your nerves remember, so that you don't have to think about  
doing it consciously anymore. In a fight, that's critical, cause if you  
have to think about how you're punching someone, it takes time. You  
have to be able to just react and let your training take over. You  
think about the big picture while you fight, not about each blow... or  
you'll lose every time."  
  
Nabiki nodded. "OK, that makes sense. I remember daddy telling me  
something similar when he was teaching me. I'm not so sure it works  
like that in these bodies, Saotome."  
  
Ranma frowned. "This is important. If I don't know how your body  
learns, I'm not sure how I should teach you."  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "You'll think of something."  
  
Cherry came out into the backyard. "Hello Ranma, Nabiki. What are  
you two doing out here?"  
  
Nabiki turned to the small marionette. "Ranma here is just showing  
me how to throw a punch properly."  
  
Cherry looked interested. "Oh? Otaru-sama did say something about  
you being skilled in the martial arts, Ranma-san. That's how you are  
such an effective fighter, correct? I neglected to ask you this before,  
but do you think you could show me how you do your martial arts? I  
recorded a large selection of your fighting techniques, but I haven't  
yet been able to completely incorporate them."  
  
Ranma blinked. "Er... I guess I could show you. Do you think any  
of the others want to learn?"  
  
Cherry nodded. "I could ask them, but I believe they would."  
  
Nabiki grinned. "Well, Ranma, it looks like you might have a class  
after all. I've got to get going to the castle, so I'll leave you to  
it."  
  
Cherry blinked. "What about breakfast, Nabiki? I was coming out  
here to invite you and Ranma to it. I thought we might have a talk  
after? You, Bloodberry and I, perhaps?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "I'll eat at the palace. Thanks anyway...  
and we'll talk after I get back, OK?" She started walking off, and  
Ranma shrugged. "I'll eat Nabiki's share, OK, Cherry?"  
  
Cherry blinked as she watched Nabiki go. "Alright, Ranma, if you'd  
like."  
  
End Chapter 13  
  
Please C&C, it's why I write!  
  
You can find almost all the previous Chapters to this at:  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/1449/ssl.html  
  
  



	15. 14

  
All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru,  
Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi... or practically all of them,  
anyway. The title is stolen from Heinlein... with one letter s added.  
  
My thanks to T. H. Tiger for the creation of this next scene, and new  
character. It was so perfect I used it unedited.  
  
Strangers in a Strange Land  
Chapter 14  
  
It had been five years since Chodo the baker had needed to deliver  
his own goods, not since he'd finished his apprenticeship, and having to  
do so now was a major inconvenience. Despite that, he was whistling a  
happy tune as he manhandled his pushcart through the early morning  
traffic. The reason for that was quite simple. This morning he was  
finally going to get to meet the famous Marionettes, the Heroines of  
Japoness.  
  
He had been supplying bread to Otaru's restaurant for two months  
now, but he had never had an excuse to deliver his bread himself. He  
didn't want to appear a hick after all. He was a big city boy, and he'd  
seen lots of fancy Marionettes.  
  
"Yaa, Yaa, bread is here, bread is here," an excited voice suddenly  
chimed out, and a Marionette dressed in Yellow and white was suddenly  
bouncing around his cart.  
  
"You must be Lime," Chodo commented as he handed the Marionette  
several trays of bread, and took several himself.  
  
"Yes, I'm Lime," she agreed as she headed toward the door. "Bread,  
bread, bread," she chanted as she walked through it, Chodo on her  
heels. "Cherry, bread is here!" she shouted toward the back of the  
restaurant.  
  
"I heard," A voice said from the back. "The money for the order is  
on the counter. Could you give it to him, Lime? My hands are covered  
in flour right now."  
  
"That's alright. Bakers are use to flour," Chodo called out. He  
was a bit disappointed. He'd hoped to see all the Marionettes.  
Meanwhile Lime had bounced over to the counter and picked up his  
payment.  
  
Just as he was resigning himself too not seeing any of the other  
famous Marionettes a redheaded one walked in from the back. That must  
be Bloodberry, Chodo thought. Funny, I thought she was bigger then  
that. She's tiny.  
  
"Yaa, yaa, Ranma. Bread is here," Lime chanted, causing the  
redheaded Marionette, who had been setting up tables, to glance up. She  
looked at Lime with a broad smile, and then switched her view to Chodo.  
  
Even from across the room, Chodo could see a film suddenly cover the  
Marionettes eyes as her body went rigid. "Uc, Uc, Uc," she stuttered.  
  
Lime looked at the small redhead in puzzlement, and asked. "Ranma,  
what's wrong? Are you making a joke? Is it a game? Can I play? I can  
do it too. See," Lime's body went rigid, and she started to stutter  
out, "Uc, Uc, Uc," as well.  
  
Chodo was getting nervous. Their was no other human in the  
restaurant, and he had a sudden vision of him being accused of damaging  
the, no doubt expensive, Marionette. Nervously, he said, "I don't think  
she's playing, I think she's jammed."  
  
"Jammed?" Lime asked, turning to look at him.  
  
"Yea, jammed. I use to have a mixer that did it all the time. I  
was always having to give it a good hit to get it going again."  
  
"I can do that!" Lime said in excitement.  
  
"Wait, don't!!!" Chodo yelled, but too late. Lime delivered a  
might blow to the back of the redhead, who went flying through the air,  
and through a wall.  
  
Chodo beat a hasty retreat.  
  
*****************************  
  
Akane looked at the help wanted notice in the bakery window, and  
crossed her fingers. "Please let this be the one," she said under her  
breath, giving her clothes a few tugs to straighten them out, she  
marched through the door.  
  
"Hello, do you have an order for me?" the lady behind the counter  
asked.  
  
Wait a minute, Lady, Akane thought. Taking a closer look, she  
could just barely make out a few telltale signs. "You're a guy," she  
said.  
  
The man behind the counter looked a bit startled, but then he  
grinned, and said, "Well of course I am, dear. And you must be one of  
those famous Marionettes. Wait, don't tell me, you're . . .Cherry,  
right?"  
  
"No, I'm sorry. I'm Akane."  
  
"Akane?" I don't think I've ever heard of an Akane. Are you one of  
those Gartland Marionettes?"  
  
"No, those are Panther and Lynx. I'm a new one. I was only built a  
little while ago." Akane flinched a bit at saying those words. It was  
still a hard concept to adjust to.  
  
"Well, I guess it had to happen. I'm sure we'll be seeing more and  
more of your type. I'm rather looking forward to it. I wouldn't mind  
owning a sweet thing like you myself."  
  
Akane flinched again, harder. If it was hard to think of herself as  
a thing, it was even harder to hear herself referred to as something  
that could be bought and sold. She felt her temper flaring up, but  
managed to control herself, barely.  
  
Keeping a tight rein on her temper, she said. "Well, this is your  
lucky day. I came in about the job."  
  
The man looked surprised. "Job? You mean the one in the window?  
You want that job?"  
  
"That's right," Akane confirmed.  
  
"But you're one of those fancy Marionette's, why would your master  
want you to take a job with us?"  
  
"I don't have a master!" Akane shouted, and then modified her tone  
quickly. "I'm sorry. My master is dead. I'm staying with Otaru and  
his Marionettes, and I want to earn money to pay my way."  
  
The feminine man looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry, dear. I've heard  
that you're sort are pretty attached to your masters. To tell the  
truth, I'd love to have you, but it's not my decision to make. If you  
want to wait a little while, Chodo should be back any minute now.  
Stretching himself up a bit, he looked out the front window. "As a  
matter of fact, there he is now."  
  
Akane turned just as a tall slim man stepped in the door. She  
blinked once, and stared, her eyes going wide in shock. Her arm came  
up, and her finger pointed at the man. "Uc, Uc, Uc," she stammered.  
  
The man stopped and stared. "Not again," he said. He stepped over  
and guided Akane out the door. "Here you go, Sugar." You go on home  
now," he said, closing the door behind Akane.  
  
"What was that all about?" the man behind the counter asked.  
  
"Damned if I know," Chodo said with a shrug, "and I've got bread to  
bake." Stepping around the counter and back into the kitchen, he  
slipped the large metal baker's peal he used for self-defense off his  
back, and hung it on the wall. Taking a second to make sure his long  
brown hair was still secured in a ponytail, he then went to work getting  
the next day's dough ready.  
  
*********************  
  
Nabiki entered the palace kitchen were Lorelei was busy at the  
stove. "Oh, Nabiki. Would you like to join me for breakfast?" The  
petite scientist gestured at the skillet where she was frying a pair of  
eggs.  
  
Nabiki sniffed the air and nodded. "That smells good. I'd  
appreciate it." She wandered over to the cupboard and started getting  
out a pair of plates and cups. "I can make tea while you're doing  
that."  
  
Lorelei nodded with a smile. "That sounds nice."  
  
Before long the two women were eating in silence. "You're a good  
cook." Nabiki commented after a while. "I never really learned,  
myself."  
  
Lorelei shrugged. "It's not all that different from doing a science  
experiment... you have to do everything just so... with all the right  
ingredients. You just have to be patient." Nabiki nodded and went back  
to her breakfast.  
  
A few minutes later, as she was cleaning off her dishes, Nabiki  
spoke up. "Lorelei, would you mind answering a few questions about  
marionettes? I don't really know all that much about my body, and there  
are some things I have questions about."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "I'd be glad to answer any questions you have."  
  
Nabiki took a deep breath. "Well, lets start with the easy question  
first. Ranma got me up early to start training today... but a question  
came up. Just how exactly do we learn to do... physical things. You  
know, like martial arts. Ranma explained that a human has to repeat a  
move over and over, even after they're doing it perfectly, so that it  
will be part of their muscle memory. That way you can do that move  
without having to really think about how to do it."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "I understand the theory. Marionettes can learn in  
much the same way, especially Saber Marionettes. You're nervous system  
is very sophisticated. It learns much the same way a human's does,  
opening up certain pathways to work faster when they are used over and  
over."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "Well, Ranma will be happy to hear that. She  
wasn't quite sure if her training methods would work the way they're  
supposed to."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Her training techniques should work fine." She  
tilted her head curiously. "You said this was the easy question. What  
was the hard one?"  
  
Nabiki hesitated. "Well... it's sort of complicated. You see, last  
night...." After an embarrassed explanation, Nabiki shrugged. "So...  
can you help me figure out what's wrong?"  
  
Lorelei blinked several times in astonishment. "You want me to  
what?"  
  
Nabiki blushed, glancing at the door to the small room where they  
were talking. "Keep your voice down! It's embarrassing enough just  
asking you. I don't really want the whole castle knowing about my  
problem."  
  
Lorelei blushed as well. "You're saying that it didn't feel right  
when you... masturbated?"  
  
Nabiki nodded. "That's right. Physically the... parts behave like  
they're supposed to... you know what I mean."  
  
Lorelei hesitated, then nodded quickly. "Yes...."  
  
"But..." Nabiki continued, "it feels wrong. It is... pleasurable...  
sort of, but not what I remember. It's too different. I think Godai  
screwed up somehow."  
  
Lorelei was silent for several seconds. "I don't really know,  
Nabiki. This is a new one for me. I'm not really sure how the  
programming for your senses was done, or how to fix what's wrong."  
  
Nabiki's face sagged in disappointment. "You don't? Isn't there  
anything you can do?"  
  
Lorelei put a hand on Nabiki's wrist reasuringly. "I'm sure we can  
find out what the problem is. We'll just have to ask someone who  
understands the programming behind your sensor data. I'm sure someone  
here in the palace will be able to help."  
  
Nabiki wrinkled her nose. "So we have to go to a specialist, huh?"  
She sighed "If that's what it takes."  
  
Lorelei squeezed her wrist. "I know this must be embarrassing for  
you. We'll be as discrete as possible." The willowy scientist stood  
up. "I'll go ask the boys in the lab who understands sensory  
programming. You can wait here if you like, and I'll come back and tell  
you."  
  
Nabiki hesitated. "No... I'm your bodyguard. I should come  
along. They don't have to know that it's me you're asking about, after  
all."  
  
Lorelei nodded hesitantly. "Well, unless you want to wait until I  
can learn what it is we need to do to fix the problem myself, we'll have  
to tell one other person at least."  
  
Nabiki shook her head. "If we do, then we do. Lead the way,  
Lorelei."  
  
After asking around, Lorelei was directed to the head of research,  
an older man with graying hair by the name of Nobou. "How can I help  
you, Lorelei-san?" The man's genuine smile and openness were reassuring  
and Nabiki relaxed a bit.  
  
Lorelei smiled back at him. "Yes, I was hoping you could tell me  
about how a marionettes sensory data is programmed. How feelings,  
sight, smell, etc... are interpreted."  
  
The older scientist nodded. "Why yes, I can explain that for you.  
In fact we came up with a new system that I helped to devise not fifteen  
years ago. It was needed to make the Saber Marionettes that we used to  
rescue you as close to human as possible. We decided to give them  
senses that were as close to human as we could make them. We took  
detailed brainwave and sensory readings of volunteer test subjects, who  
underwent every conceivable stimulus we could think of that a marionette  
might experience."  
  
Lorelei blinked. "Every experience?"  
  
The older man shrugged. "Well, every experience we could reasonably  
replicate. Naturally there were some experiences we weren't willing to  
put our test subjects through, such as extreme pain, or death. We came  
to the conclusion that most of those experiences were not conductive to  
growth in any case."  
  
Nabiki nodded to herself. "That makes sense. Losing my hand  
hurt... but not anywhere near as badly as I'd have expected."  
  
Nobou nodded in agreement. "An overwhelming pain stimulus would  
also degrade combat efficiency, which was a priority. The Saber  
marionettes needed to be able to penetrate the Mesopotamia's defenses,  
after all."  
  
Nabiki blinked in understanding. "Oh! Now that explains why the  
most powerful weapons developed were marionettes. It was because you  
were trying to make a marionette strong enough to save Lorelei here."  
  
"Yes, that's correct." The scientist nodded to Nabiki, then looked  
at her in sudden comprehension. He looked at her intently for the first  
time, having been focused on Lorelei up to that moment. "You must be  
one of Godai Kuno's prototypes, correct? So, you really have the  
memories of a human from the past?"  
  
Nabiki nodded in affirmation. "As far as I'm concerned, I AM that  
human. I have... her memories. As far as I can tell I react, think,  
and feel like she did. I am Nabiki Tendo... or an exceedingly good  
reproduction." She looked disturbed. "You know, sometimes I wonder  
what happened to that other me. The Nabiki that had her memories  
recorded, then went on with her life... what happened to her?"  
  
The middle Tendo sister shook her head. "It's hard to realize that  
I'm not really her. I'm just a copy."  
  
Lorelei took Nabiki's hand. "You may be a copy, but you are still  
Nabiki. Just because five hundred years ago another you lived and died,  
doesn't mean you are any less real."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "That's nice of you to say, and I want to believe  
it, but sometimes...."  
  
The older man had remained silent during their conversation, but at  
that point he spoke up. "So, am I correct in assuming that you have  
come to me with a specific problem concerning your sensory systems?"  
  
He addressed Nabiki directly this time and she turned toward him to  
answer directly back. "Yes, that's correct. Godai did pretty well with  
most of my... senses, but not everything... feels the way that I  
remember it should."  
  
"Fascinating!" The balding older man frowned in thought. "Your  
recorded memories included all of the sensory experience from your  
previous life as well? Of course it did! A personality transfer without  
sensory information would be incomplete since our memory is largely made  
up of sensory data."  
  
He nodded to himself and glanced at Nabiki again. "I would be  
interested in hearing exactly what it is that feels 'wrong' as you put  
it. Up to this point we have not been able to fully test whether or not  
we were successful with our sensory programming, as no marionette really  
knew what they were and were not supposed to be feeling! We believed  
our programming was correct, but we couldn't really test it fully, aside  
from looking at the brainwave data."  
  
Nobou looked at Nabiki intensely. "If you can accurately recall  
from your past experiences where we have gone wrong on certain sensory  
programming, we would be able to update it completely."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "Er... I suppose so."  
  
The scientist nodded encouragingly. "So, what is it exactly that's  
wrong?"  
  
Nabiki swallowed once, steeling herself. "Well... it's um...." She  
tried not to blush, but couldn't help it.  
  
Nobou raised an eyebrow. "Yes? What is it?"  
  
Nabiki threw up her hands in surrender. "I was masturbating,  
alright? It was all wrong. There was... sensation, but not like there  
should have been."  
  
The older man blinked slowly, then blinked again. "Oh. I see.  
Well then, there is a simple explanation for that."  
  
Nabiki's eyes widened hopefully. "Really?"  
  
He nodded. "Yes. As we didn't have an actual female subject to  
test, any sensory input that a female has that a male does not could not  
be fully simulated. We simply didn't have the necessary data."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "Oh." She raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean you  
can't help me?"  
  
The older scientist looked thoughtful. "No... no, we should be  
able to do something... since you can inform us when something does and  
doesn't feel correct, we should be able to tweak your sensory program  
until we reach something reasonably close to what your memories would  
suggest. It's a major project, however. It might take weeks of  
programming time, perhaps longer if we have to do it all manually."  
  
Lorelei spoke up. "Well... perhaps... perhaps I have a suggestion?"  
  
Nobou glanced at the petite scientist in front of him. "Yes,  
Lorelei?"  
  
Lorelei hesitated. "If you could collect data from a human female  
to correct your current program... would that help?"  
  
The older man nodded. "Yes of course. We still have the facility  
for collecting brainwave data and sensory information here in the lab.  
It hasn't been used for awhile, but if you were to assist us in  
completing the gaps in out data we could create a proper sensory program  
in a few days. Most of the work would be done automatically by the  
translator program."  
  
Lorelei nodded firmly. "Very well. When can we get started?"  
  
The older man stood up. "I have nothing on my agenda more  
interesting than what you have brought me. Quite frankly, I find this  
problem fascinating. The amount of useful data that we should be able  
to obtain is more than worth my full attention."  
  
Nabiki rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. "I'd just bet  
it is."  
  
Nobou gestured to his door, not hearing her comment. "Let me show  
you to my old workstation and I'll explain the procedure from there."  
  
"Lorelei...." Nabiki glanced at the petite woman hesitantly. "You  
don't have to do this for me."  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "Nonsense. I can imagine how it must feel  
for part of your senses to not work properly. It would be like your  
body was betraying you. I cannot simply stand by if I can help, so  
let's just get started."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "Alright, if you insist on helping me, I doubt if I  
can stop you."  
  
Nobou showed them to a small laboratory in the recesses of the  
castle. There was a reclining chair for the test subject, with  
connections for scanning equipment attached to an equally small  
observation booth filled with computers next door.  
  
He started to explain. "We'll have to set up the connections to the  
booth, and attach some sensors to the chair's connections as well.  
Lorelei, you'll have to wear a pair of sensors on your temples. We  
should be able to get your brainwave data from those, and the recording  
devices will pick up your actions."  
  
Lorelei blushed slightly. "I see." She nodded quickly. "Alright,  
how long will it take you to prepare everything?"  
  
Nobou wrinkled his nose in thought. "No more than an hour or two.  
I have to load up the translator programs as well as prepare the room."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Very well. Do you need any assistance?"  
  
Nobou shook his head. "We should be able to handle things here just  
fine. I've done all this many times before."  
  
Lorelei nodded again, stiffly. "Well then, could you let me know  
when things are prepared? I'm going to my rooms for a while."  
  
Nobou nodded back. "Of course."  
  
Lorelei spared him a faint smile. "Thank you." She nodded to him  
again and left, followed by Nabiki. She didn't speak again until they  
were safely inside her bedroom, well away from anyone else in the  
palace. Lorelei paced, wringing her hands. "Did I just agree to do  
what I think I just agreed to do?"  
  
Nabiki watched her walking back and forth in concern. "I didn't ask  
you to do this, Lorelei. If it's a problem, don't do it. It'll take a  
bit longer, but the Doc seems to think we could tweak my sensors in a  
few weeks."  
  
Lorelei's shoulders sagged. "That would be asking you too...."  
  
"Masturbate?" Nabiki helpfully supplied.  
  
Lorelei blushed. "Yes, you'd have to... masturbate dozens, perhaps  
hundreds of times for him to 'tweak' your program sufficiently...  
describing the sensations you felt each time so he could make  
adjustments... and he would have to make each change in the program by  
hand. It could take days for each test." She shook her head. "It's  
too much. From what Nobou told us, I could do this with one or two...  
demonstrations. How could I refuse?"  
  
Nabiki stepped in front of Lorelei to stop her pacing, putting her  
hands on the willowy scientist's shoulders. "Lorelei... calm down.  
You're working yourself into a nervous breakdown. Try to relax. You  
won't make a very good test subject if you're all tense." Lorelei  
nodded slowly and took several slow deliberate breaths, closing her eyes  
tiredly.  
  
After several moments the longhaired woman opened her eyes, looking  
calmer. "Thank you, Nabiki." Her brow knit slightly and she glanced  
down at Nabiki's hands on her shoulders. Nabiki followed her gaze and  
her face flushed when she realized that she had been massaging Lorelei's  
shoulders unconsciously, even going so far as to run her hands down her  
chest a ways. Both women blushed slightly, then simultaneously glanced  
at Lorelei's bed. Nabiki snatched her hands away with a gasp and  
Lorelei took an involuntary step back.  
  
"Oh my." Lorelei started at Nabiki with wide eyes, which slowly  
narrowed in understanding as she watched Nabiki's obvious distress. She  
opened her mouth to reassure the suddenly emotional marionette, then  
closed it. Her eyes narrowed a bit more and she smirked very faintly  
before concealing it. "Oh my, Nabiki.... I had no idea.... Is that  
why you want me to relax... here in my bedroom... with you? Were you...  
offering to 'relax' me?"  
  
Nabiki's eyes went wide. "No! No, you're misunderstanding me! I  
wasn't trying to... I wasn't trying to get you into bed, really! My  
hands had a mind of their own! I wasn't doing it on purpose...."  
  
Lorelei giggled. "Now you know what it feels like when you tease  
people, Nabiki."  
  
Nabiki blinked dumbly. "Huh?"  
  
Lorelei started laughing out-loud. "Oh my... the look on your  
face. If you could only see it!"  
  
Nabiki started to shake her head and chuckle. "Out-foxed me. I  
never would have suspected, Lorelei. Not bad, not bad at all. We'll  
make a real terror out of you yet."  
  
Lorelei giggled some more. "Oh yes, I'll be the terror of the  
palace. Nabiki Tendo, you are a bad influence on me."  
  
Nabiki grinned. "The girl your mother always warned you about?"  
  
Lorelei snickered. "And here in my bedroom no less!"  
  
Nabiki raised her hands menacingly, ready to grab. "Look out, or I  
might grab you and do terrible things to you."  
  
Lorelei's eyes twinkled and she walked over to her bed and patted  
it. "Will you do terrible things to me on this bed, perhaps?"  
  
Nabiki choked. "Would you please stop doing that, Lorelei? You  
keep teasing me like this and I really will do terrible things to you."  
  
Lorelei raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" She jumped onto her bed  
and lay on her stomach, gazing a Nabiki from the side. "Well then,  
please go ahead." Nabiki froze in shock and Lorelei couldn't stifle  
another giggle.  
  
The middle Tendo sister's eyes narrowed and she smirked. "Why  
you...!" Nabiki jumped on the bed behind Lorelei and straddled her over  
the petite woman's waist. Reaching down, Nabiki started tickling her  
unmercifully. Lorelei squirmed and shrieked loudly, but Nabiki just  
laughed and kept tickling until Lorelei winced in pain.  
  
"Stop! Nabiki stop, please!" Nabiki left off just as the bedroom  
door burst in, revealing a pair of amazonlike marionettes, weapons drawn  
and ready.  
  
"Lorelei!" Baiko shouted as she came in. "Are you alright?" She  
and Tamasaburo came closer, threateningly, but Lorelei was quick to wave  
them off.  
  
"I'm fine, please." Lorelei put a hand out from underneath Nabiki  
to ward off the weapons. "Nabiki and I just got a little carried away.  
There is nothing wrong." The two palace sentries raised identical  
eyebrows as they looked at the two women, Nabiki pinning Lorelei to the  
bed in a very compromising looking position.  
  
Tamasaburo nodded after a moment. "Understood, I will update my  
files to include this activity as non-threatening. May I inquire if you  
will be making any other loud noises in the near future?" Lorelei  
glanced at each other and couldn't help but start giggling again at the  
question.  
  
After a moment, Lorelei nodded to Tamasaburo, still chuckling. "I  
may, Tamasaburo. Please disregard similar noises in the future. If I  
need help, I'll call for help, alright?"  
  
The two palace sentries nodded. "Understood." With a bow they  
left, closing the door behind them.  
  
Nabiki shook her head in bemusement. "What do you think they  
thought we were doing?"  
  
Lorelei blushed and giggled at the same time. "I'd be to  
embarrassed to ask... but I suspect they might have misunderstood  
slightly." She had turned over in their struggle and looked up at  
Nabiki's face. "Nabiki, in the future, could you try to regulate your  
strength better? You started to hurt me a bit at the end there."  
  
Nabiki paled. "Oh no... Lorelei, I'm so sorry!"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "I'm fine. You stopped as soon as I asked,  
thank you."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "I keep forgetting how strong I am in this body.  
Are you really OK?"  
  
Lorelei nodded, then rolled over underneath Nabiki, careful not to  
dislodge the other girl. "Nabiki, while you're there, could you...?"  
Nabiki put her hands on the small of Lorelei's back and worked them  
upward slowly, massaging the muscles carefully. Lorelei sighed in  
relief. "Oh... yes... oh yes. That's very nice." She moaned slightly  
as Nabiki continued to massage her back with extreme gentleness. "A  
little harder please, Nabiki. Yes... a bit more...."  
  
Nabiki complied, gradually applying more pressure. "Lorelei." She  
said quietly. "If you want me to do this right, you really should take  
off that sweater."  
  
Lorelei nodded into her blankets, not quite willing to speak. "Mm  
hmm." She raised her arms over her head and waited patiently. Nabiki  
swallowed once, then started pulling Lorelei's sweater up from the  
bottom slowly, carefully bringing it up over her head and pulling it  
down her arms. Lorelei let the sweater drop off the side of the bed and  
went back to relaxing. Nabiki swallowed again at the sight of Lorelei's  
back, only crossed by the petite girl's bra straps. She then started  
massaging Lorelei from the base of her spine again.  
  
Lorelei moaned appreciatively as Nabiki continued to massage her.  
Every so often Nabiki had to pause to lift her hands over Lorelei's bra  
strap, and after a minute of this, Lorelei reached back and undid her  
bra in the back to Nabiki wouldn't have to lift her hands away any more.  
  
Nabiki continued to work on her wordlessly, and Lorelei sighed  
happily, almost purring in pleasure. "Oh Nabiki, this is so wonderful.  
Do you know how long it's been since anyone gave me a backrub this  
good?"  
  
Nabiki smirked to herself. "Three hundred years?"  
  
Lorelei groaned. "Oh no! That makes me sound so old! I was only  
twenty-four when I went into cold sleep. It's only been four months or  
so since I got out, so I'm not even twenty-five yet. At least  
physically."  
  
Nabiki laughed. "I've got you beat there. I'm over five hundred,  
but this body is probably less than a month old."  
  
Lorelei smiled. "So I'm being molested by a one-month old?"  
  
Nabiki pouted. "Why? Don't you WANT to be molested?"  
  
Lorelei laughed. "In your case I'll make an exception. For a one  
month old you have very good hands."  
  
Nabiki smirked again. "The hands you speak of will become quite  
naughty if you don't stop teasing me about me age."  
  
Lorelei hesitated for several long moments as she considered that.  
"Oh... I see...." She shrugged. "I suppose in that case... I should  
stop teasing you."  
  
Nabiki frowned in disappointment. "Oh."  
  
Lorelei giggled. "Because it wouldn't be fair to tease a newborn!"  
  
Nabiki's eyes twinkled. "You asked for it!" She lightly ran her  
hands down Lorelei's flanks, making her squirm and giggle again. As  
Lorelei's chest left the bed for a moment in her attempts to evade the  
tickling, Nabiki's hands flashed into a burst of incredible speed,  
removing Lorelei's bra and tossing it away before the petite scientist  
could even notice anything was happening. Nabiki's hands ran down  
Lorelei's sides again, and as Lorelei continued to writhe, trying to  
escape the torment, Nabiki swept her skirt and panties off and tossed  
them aside as well, leaving the older girl completely naked.  
  
Nabiki lay down gently on top of Lorelei's body, causing her to quit  
struggling momentarily as she realized what had happened. "How did  
you...?" Lorelei flushed to the waist. "Nabiki!"  
  
Nabiki ran her hands up and down Lorelei's sides lightly. "You know  
what? You've cute when you're flustered... and naked."  
  
Lorelei shivered. "Nabiki... I... I'm not sure I'm ready for  
this...." She closed her eyes as Nabiki's roaming hands wandered to the  
sides of her breasts. "I know I provoked this... ah... but...."  
  
Nabiki stopped her groping. "But you're getting uncomfortable?"  
She rolled off of Lorelei and sat on the edge of the bed facing away  
from her. "All you have to do is ask, Lorelei, and I'll stop, OK? I'm  
not going to make you do anything that you don't want to."  
  
Lorelei sat up, covering herself self-consciously with her hands.  
"I'm sorry... I...."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "Aren't interested in me that way? I understand  
that, Lorelei, and I don't blame you. I've been acting like a  
nymphomaniac... and not only am I female, but I'm not even really a  
human...."  
  
Lorelei sighed back, shaking her head. "Nabiki, would you please  
stop feeling sorry for yourself? I'm not completely closed to the idea  
of you and being... being together. We're just moving a little bit too  
fast."  
  
Nabiki blinked and turned around. "You're not?"  
  
Lorelei hesitated, blushing slightly at Nabiki's stare. "No, I'm  
not. Intellectually, I find you quite attractive, and emotionally, I  
feel a growing bond to you. I really do care about you, you know. As  
for my... sexual preferences... I'm starting to wonder. I never  
considered myself attracted to women especially, but being with you  
feels comfortable. I've never been able to... play like that with  
anyone... not since I was a child. It's nice... just... I just need a  
bit more time."  
  
Nabiki smiled. "I'm not going to push, Lorelei. Besides, even if  
you were ready, I'm not. Talk about not being wired right, huh?" She  
sighed. To tell you the truth, I think we have something in common  
there. Before all this, I wasn't attracted to girls... well, not  
exactly, anyway. When Ranma first came to live at our house, I think I  
started to realize that I wasn't repulsed by the idea either. After a  
while I realized that I feel pretty much the same about girls as I did  
about guys. If they were cute, I liked them... and if I liked them, I  
could feel attracted to them. I just hadn't been letting myself think  
that way until after Ranma showed up."  
  
Lorelei raised an eyebrow. "Nabiki... are you... are you in love  
with Ranma?"  
  
Nabiki's eyes widened and she blushed. "No!" She shook her head.  
"I knew that Ranma and Akane were meant for each other after a few  
weeks... and by then it was too late for me to go after her myself.  
Ranma and I were never meant to be."  
  
Nabiki looked at Lorelei strangely. "I've never told anyone else  
any of this, but I can't seem to keep anything from you anymore." She  
shrugged. "If you want to know if I'm attracted to her... I am. I  
won't lie to you about that. I'm a hundred times more attracted to you  
than anyone else I've ever known, though. It's probably just my maiden  
circuit... at least most of it. But even if I wasn't bonded to you, I  
think might still have been interested."  
  
Lorelei smiled faintly. "I hope that's the case. You've been very  
honest with me, Nabiki, so I'll be honest with you. I do like you.  
I've said it before, but I do mean it. You're just about the first  
person on this planet I've found that I can talk to as a person and not  
either as a scientist or as a symbol of everything female."  
  
Nabiki looked skeptical. "What about Otaru? He seems pretty  
comfortable around you."  
  
Lorelei smiled fondly. "Otaru is that way with everyone. That's  
what made him perfect to raise Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry. Social  
status, being a human or a marionette... it does not matter to him."  
  
Nabiki smiled at her knowingly. "I know you like him. It's been  
obvious for awhile." She hesitated. "Heck, you're practically in love  
with the guy. He's great... why should you settle for me?"  
  
Lorelei sighed. "I am not settling for anything. " Otaru is not  
available, even if I was interested in him."  
  
Nabiki frowned. "I'm still you're second choice... if that."  
  
Lorelei sighed again. "I don't think we're getting anywhere right  
now." She glanced around for her clothing, spotted her sweater on the  
floor next to the bed and leaned over to get it. "Listen, Nabiki."  
Lorelei held the sweater in front of her while she found the sleeves.  
"If you keep looking for reasons why we can't be together, I'm sure  
you'll find them. You could find reasons why any two people can't be  
together if you look hard enough, but that doesn't mean anything. I  
want to try and make this work between us, and that means looking for  
reasons why it will work, not why it won't."  
  
Nabiki looked like she was trying to stop frowning. "OK... I can  
see your point. So, why should we be together? Ignoring the irritating  
little fact that I happen to be bonded to you, that is."  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "That's a little hard to ignore... but."  
She shrugged. "I've already given you a reason. Intellectually, you  
have more in common with me than anyone else I know. We're both women,  
we're both unique, and we both think of the other as a normal human  
being. Believe it or not, there is no one else that fits. No one else  
that I could see myself being with."  
  
Nabiki blinked. "No one? What about... Faust? I've heard that he  
spent... what, twelve, thirteen lifetimes to bring you back. I mean,  
sure, he went too far in the end, but he...."  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "Faust... was always intense... almost  
obsessive... but the Faust that exists today went far past that point,  
into insanity. He's recovered, for the most part, but he's still not  
the man I knew. Nabiki, I was serious when I told you that I'm open to  
the idea of us being together. I didn't mean I was considering all my  
options, with you as one out of many. I mean I am considering you and  
you only. I don't believe in pursuing a relationship with more than one  
person at a time, and I plan on giving this every chance."  
  
Nabiki sighed. "I'm sorry, Lorelei. I shouldn't be so negative.  
"She frowned. "I haven't been myself for days, now. I never used to  
let things bother me this much."  
  
Lorelei smiled in understanding. "You've never been in love  
before. Trust me, it makes you crazy." Lorelei pulled her sweater on  
over her head and hopped down from her bed, looking around. "Now where  
did the rest of my clothes go?"  
  
End Chapter 14  
  
Please C&C, it's why I write!  
  
You can find almost all the previous Chapters to this at:  
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/1449/ssl.html  
  
  



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